How To: Pack for a Road Trip

Pack your vehicle for a road trip the right way! Our experts at Toyota of North Charlotte are going to give you tips that will make your road trip easier!

Check out some of our other tips here! - http://www.toyotaofnorthcharlotte.com/research/toyota-technology-and-safety-driving-tips.htm

Transcript:
There’s plenty of reasons why you decide to go on a road trip. You could be meeting up with friends for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, or maybe you’re meeting up with family over the holidays. Whatever your reasoning, something you may dread before the trip is the packing process. Our team at Toyota of North Charlotte is here to help! We want to make sure you have a relaxing road trip without worrying about the fears that can arise with packing and prepping your car. That’s why we’ve assembled some great tips to know when packing!
If you’ll be making stops during your road trip, and we’re not just talking about for a quick bite to eat, then make sure to pack an overnight bag. In this bag you’ll want to have items like pajamas, a toothbrush and toothpaste, other toiletries, and a change of clothing. That way, it’ll be easier for you to quickly get the items you need without having to scramble through other bags to find them.
Sometimes we get so caught up with preparing for a road trip that we forget about the essentials. It’s important to have a separate bag to have inside of the cabin that holds all of your important information and belongings for easy access. The items we suggest carrying in this bag include documents like your driver’s license, car registration, and insurance, cell phone and charger, baby wipes, Tissues, and a first aid kit, plastic bags for trash disposal, medicine, drinks and snacks if you don’t want to make too many food stops, and entertainment items like books, tablets, and toys if you’re driving with others - especially children!
You may think that the best way to go about packing up your car is by stacking everything in, and pushing and pulling bags to make sure everything fits. Packing up for a road trip doesn’t have to be so similar to a game of Tetris! To safely pack, you want to make sure you arrange luggage by importance and weight. Make sure you put the heaviest and least important items on the bottom of the cargo area. That way the car can stay balanced and reduce your risk of rollovers. You’ll then put the lighter and more important bags on tops so they’ll be easier to retrieve.
When packing up the rear of your car, you want to make sure the driver still has clear sight of the road. Make sure not to pile up bags to the point that their vision would be hindered when driving.
When you make stops during your road trip, be sure to keep important belongings and valuables out of sight. You’ll also want to make sure to always lock the car no matter how quick you’ll be! This would greatly decrease your chance of car theft or robbery.
These are just a few tips to remember when you’re packing up for a road trip. If you need any more advice, be sure to check out our website at for all the safe driving tips you need!