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18 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday August 5, 2006 2006Summer Sizzlers Before packing up the car and hitting the highway for your summer road trip, it's important to make a pre-trip checklist to ensure a safe and enjoyable vacation with the family. By reviewing the following tips you can minimize the risk of any road trip mishaps while keeping the kids happy and entertained! Tire tune-up: Tire tune-ups are just as important as your children's regular checkups! Make sure to have a complete tire inspection from your local Tire Professionals dealer including tire pressure and tread wear on your spare. Many tires have tread wear indicator bars molded into the tread. When the tread is worn down to where you can see a solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread, it's time to replace the tire. Rate your speed! There's no need for speed on a fun family road trip. Taking a leisurely pace will allow you to see the great Canadian landscape and ensure you arrive at your final destination safely. However, it is important to learn your tire's speed rating if you're outfitting your car with new tires before a trip. All tires have a designated speed rating, and it's important to respect your vehicle manufacturer's recommendations to avoid hazardously modifying the vehicle's handling from its original design. A speed symbol is a letter such as T, H, V or Z that refers to the maximum speed capability of a tire, normally following a number www.oakvillebeaver.com Summer road trip checklist: prepare your car for the long road ahead in the range of 80 to 110 such as 84T, 96H, 102V. This symbol can be found within your vehicle's owner manual or on the vehicle placard, which is normally located on the door frame or glove box door. Car check-up: It's not only important to make sure your tires are in mint condition ­ you need to prepare your entire car for the road to ensure a safe trip. Make sure to top up all of your fluids, and if you're still hearing that rattling noise every time you start your car, now is the time to get it fixed. Don't leave home without all of the necessary emergency equipment such as extra windshield-wiper fluid, a flashlight, batteries and a first aid kit. Don't forget to make a pit stop! Travelling with kids can be a bit of a challenge since they can't sit for long periods of time, so take breaks along the way and let them run off some energy. Packing a soccer ball in the car doesn't take up too much room but can really help out when you want to let the kids run loose. Kids can plan too! In order to ensure that every member of the family has an enjoyable road trip, why not incorporate the kids into the planning process? Have them pick something special they would like to do. Perhaps they would like to check out an amusement park, go swimming at a beach or check out an insect museum. - News Canada 50% off * Oakville Place Mall 905-845-4724