Making these seven car checks before leaving for Easter weekend could save you up to £300

British holidaymakers have been warned they could be fined £300 if they fail to follow the seven steps before cheating on their Bank Holiday weekends.

The four-day weekend will be the busiest for transport the country has seen since 2019 and around 17 million cars are expected to be on the road at points taking traffic to a crawl and increasing the likelihood of accidents.

This means it’s more important than ever to make sure your car is safe to drive before you leave to reduce the chance of costly complications.

These are the seven steps all drivers should take before setting off according to road safety experts Green Flag.

Check your tires

This sounds pretty straightforward, but you’d be surprised how many drivers fail to do this before a major trip with as many as one in six green flag calls for tire-related issues.

Things to make sure you’re on top of it are tire pressure and any punctures that might develop in your face during the trip.

Helpful advice on tire-related problems can be easily found in your car handbook.

Then it’s a matter of driving into a gas station or breaking out the foot pump to get your tires up to pressure.

You can also use a 20 pence coin to check for tread wear as if the outer band of the coin is visible when placed in the groove between the steps, they are worn too low and the tires need to be replaced.

Check that you have enough fuel

Britain’s roads will be the busiest since 2019 this weekend, meaning you’ll be idling and using valuable fuel.

Start a trip with too little juice and you could easily run out on your way to a gas station.

Same if you drive an electric car. You don’t want to be the person who runs out of battery on the M25.

Make sure you have full breakdown coverage

There are many different ways drivers can protect themselves on the road.

In addition to compulsory car insurance, most motorists choose to invest in roadside assistance insurance, which offers roadside assistance and many other features.

Of course you hope you never need it, but in an emergency it’s better to be safe as calling for uninsured roadside assistance cover can cost up to £300.

Make sure your phone is charged before the trip

A fully charged phone on a long drive can be a lifesaver, so it’s important to make sure it’s ready to go when you need it.

Of course, don’t use it while driving as that will result in fines of up to £1,000 and be dangerous.

But since traffic will be very heavy, it’s incredibly important to have a fully charged phone ready for diversions.

Pack a portable charger to make sure it never runs dry when you need it.

Check your car’s fluid level

From the fuel in the tank to the oil in the engine, your vehicle is full of different fluids and it’s important to make sure these are topped up regularly and replaced when necessary.

Before you leave, pop the bonnet and check that there’s plenty of windshield washer fluid, coolant and power steering fluid in your engine – there should be very clear ‘max’ and ‘min’ levels to show you.

It is vital that you carry enough windscreen washer fluid or you could be fined £100.

If they’re low then head to Halfords to pick up some more – windscreen washer fluid starts from £3.99 for two litres, coolant (aka antifreeze) is £5.29 for a liter and power steering fluid is from £7.29 for 500 ml.

Another incredibly important fluid is oil – without it your engine will just seize up and that is an incredibly expensive repair.

Make sure your car is serviced

It is important that cars are serviced regularly to detect potential problems before they develop.

Each time you drive your car, you increase the amount of wear and tear on the vehicle. This can be hard to tell though – while some drivers can tell if their tires or wiper blades need changing, what about the brake pads? Yet they are absolutely crucial to safe driving.

A service comes right under the hood – and literally under the car itself – to make sure nothing is wrong and your car is safe to drive.

Companies like Halfords can help you with a host of benefits, including exclusive member discounts and £10 off your MOT.

Walk around your car

The last step is all the easier – walk around your car before you leave.

It may seem silly, but it’s the best way to see if something is seriously wrong before you go.

Think of flat tires, broken brake lights and defective turn signals.