Here’s how to make family traveling this year as easy as possible

Spring has finally sprung and that means the warmer weather is upon us.

That means more of us will be thinking about hitting the road for a UK adventure or even further afield. For families this can be a big challenge with lots to prepare for children, and more to factor in when on the road.

If you have a family and are planning on going away in the car, there are a few essential things you need to know to make sure you arrive at your destination in a calm and cool manner.

We’ve compiled a list of the best top tips to help make those long-distance family trips less stressful.

If you’re planning on taking your family on a long-distance trip this summer, make sure that your vehicle is safe.

You can do some simple checks such as checking the condition of the tyres. Look for cracks, perishing and the tread depth – the minimum legal tread requirement in the UK is 1.6mm.

Check the windscreen for any cracks or chips, make sure your windscreen wipers clear the glass effectively and that all the fluid levels such as screenwash and brake fluid are topped up.

Doing these simple checks could save you and your family’s life from any severe accidents.

Never go on a long journey without taking snacks and drinks with you.

Having a car full of hungry or thirsty people could be a recipe for disaster as driving while dehydrated or hungry can affect your concentration levels, putting you, your family and other road users at risk.

Make sure that everyone takes plenty of water bottles and snacks such as cereal bars, crisps and a few pieces of fruit, to keep everyone happy.

Consider taking electronic devices such as an iPad, because it can offer some respite between games or conversations on a long journey.

To keep everyone entertained, packing a few card games such as Uno or Top Trumps may also help in keeping everyone happy, too. There are plenty of options, such as lining up some songs everyone likes, or simple games and puzzles to keep little hands occupied.

Make sure you take additional charging cables for all of the kids’ mobile phones or tablets.

Having a limited amount of chargers will only end in arguing, which won’t make the journey enjoyable and will make it more stressful for the driver.

The best solution is to work out how many electronic devices you will be taking and then bring enough cables to cater for everyone’s needs.

Always pack a first aid kit because you never know when it might come in handy.

Make sure that bandages, plasters and wet wipes are packed, because if anyone hurts themselves while on the trip or in the car, it will make the journey more stressful.

Even if someone falls ill with a cold while on holiday, packing tissues, flu tablets can all ease the stress that little bit more.

Before heading off on your holidays, always check how much luggage you will be taking.

Packing a car with too much luggage can not only make it heavier, but more dangerous. It can obscure your view from out of the back windscreen and in the event of an accident, it could cause serious injuries to you and your family.

The best advice is to not overpack your car with luggage and make sure that the heavier items are secured in place and that smaller and lighter items are positioned on top.

If you are planning on driving an EV on a long trip, make sure that you top it up with charge before you head off.

An electric car will take longer to fill up compared to a combustion-powered vehicle, meaning it could be more of a strain for you and your family.

Plus, always allow extra time for your journey when driving an EV long-distance, just in case you do need to stop off and charge up.

However, your kids may not be too pleased if you do have to make a detour to go and top up your car, with it taking at least 30 minutes.