These simple tips will help ensure you and your car will be trouble-free travelling companions:

Give your car a thorough 'health' check

Before you set off, it is a wise precaution to have your car serviced. Prevention of a potential problem is far better than having an emergency when you are away.

Take out insurance

If your car is not already covered, make sure you have breakdown assistance. This should include vehicle recovery, accommodation and the use of a hire car. You hope to never use it, but you will save a lot of money — and inconvenience — if you have to.

Check your documentation

While very few people forget their passports or travel tickets, do they take the same care with essential documents for the car? All documentation should be assembled and checked well in advance.

Be prepared if something does go wrong

Emergency equipment, including a warning triangle, a set of replacement bulbs, a first aid kit and an onboard fire extinguisher are essentials. But do you know how to use these items correctly? You should also know the appropriate emergency phone numbers.

Take a break if you're tired

Fatigue while driving on a long journey is always a danger because a tired driver is a dangerous driver. Your concentration and reflexes can be impaired, so relax and don't be tempted into ‘a race against time’ just to get to your destination. Take frequent stops to stretch your legs and, if possible, share the driving.

Stow your luggage carefully

Heavy items should be secured and stowed as low as possible in the boot of the car. Only light, soft objects should be kept inside with passengers. During heavy, emergency braking, even the most innocent of items can become lethal if loose in the interior.

Avoid overloading your car!

Apart from having to cope with poor handling and braking performance, you could also invalidate your insurance, and even incur a fine, if the car is overloaded.

Remember to allow for the extra weight

Your car will handle and perform very differently when fully-laden. Don’t forget to allow for bigger braking distances, particularly while cruising at speed on a motorway. And remember acceleration will be slower when overtaking traffic.

Consider fitting a roof box for those extra items

Roof boxes are a safe and efficient way of carrying extra luggage on a roof rack. Apart from providing more secure stowage without any need to tie items down, an aerodynamically-shaped roof box is less harmful to fuel consumption. And it’s a great place to put those sandy or wet items from a day at the beach.

Protect your paintwork!

If you have been driving in dusty conditions or have been parked near a beach, rinse the car off thoroughly with a hose before wiping it down with a sponge or brush. Sand, dirt or dried salt from sea-spray, can easily scratch paintwork, apart from damaging carpets or gumming up mechanical parts.