A quick look at four easy-to-miss points could help prevent a hot, uncomfortable stop on the A47 or A11.

The car feels fine. You have used it all week for short trips, the fuel gauge is behaving and everyone is already thinking about the beach.

That is exactly why a long summer drive can catch people out. A car that manages ten-minute journeys around Norwich may still have a tyre issue, low coolant or a warning light that needs attention before it spends an hour in slow-moving traffic.

You do not need to become a mechanic. Before loading the bags, allow five minutes for this practical check.

1. Look At The Tyres First

Walk around the car and look for obvious cuts, cracks, bulges or anything lodged in the tread. Check all four tyres, not just the one that is easiest to see.

If your car has a spare wheel, check that too. If it has a repair kit instead, make sure you know where it is and that it is present.

Tyre pressures should be checked when the tyres are cold, using the figures in the vehicle handbook or on the car’s information label. If the car is carrying extra passengers or luggage, use the manufacturer’s loaded-vehicle setting where one is provided.

The legal minimum tread depth for cars is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around the full circumference.

That is a legal limit, not a target for a relaxed summer drive.

You can check the official requirements in the GOV.UK vehicle safety guidance.

A Norfolk example is easy to picture: a fully loaded car leaving Norwich for Wells-next-the-Sea, or heading east towards Great Yarmouth, may feel perfectly comfortable at town speeds but become less forgiving if a sudden shower arrives or a tyre loses pressure on a longer stretch of road.

2. Check Coolant — But Only When The Engine Is Cold

Summer heat and stationary traffic are an uncomfortable combination if the cooling system is not in good condition.

The Met Office’s long-journey vehicle guidance warns that summer breakdowns can be linked to cooling faults, including faulty cooling fans or insufficient coolant.

With the engine cold, check the expansion tank against its minimum and maximum marks.

Use the vehicle handbook to identify the correct reservoir and fluid.

Never remove a coolant filler cap from a hot engine. The system may be pressurised and the contents can cause serious burns.

If the level keeps falling, do not treat repeatedly topping it up as a repair. A garage should investigate why.

If the temperature gauge rises unusually, steam appears or a coolant warning light comes on, stop somewhere safe and follow the vehicle manufacturer’s guidance.

3. Do Not Dismiss A Warning Light

Turn the ignition on and check what happens to the dashboard lights when the engine starts. Many should go out once the engine is running.

If one remains illuminated, flashes or appears during the journey, consult the handbook rather than guessing what it means.

A warning light may indicate a problem with the engine, brakes, oil pressure or another safety-critical system.

A car can still feel normal while a fault is developing, so “it seems all right” is not a reliable diagnosis.

Can you simply drive and see whether the light clears?

Sometimes a light may disappear, but that does not explain why it appeared.

If the handbook tells you to stop, or the car feels unsafe, do not continue. Arrange appropriate help before committing to the longer journey.

The Highway Code’s vehicle maintenance guidance provides a useful overview of the checks drivers should make.

4. Test The Things That Keep The Journey Bearable

Switch on the air conditioning before you leave.

If the cabin is not cooling, or there is an unusual smell or noise, you have discovered the problem while still at home rather than in a queue near the Thickthorn junction.

The air-conditioning check does not replace proper servicing and cannot confirm the refrigerant level. It does give you time to arrange an inspection if the system is not working as expected.

Then check the basics that affect visibility:

• Clean the windscreen.
• Top up the screen wash.
• Test the washers and wipers.
• Check the lights and indicators.
• Secure luggage without blocking mirrors or windows.
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The government’s guidance makes clear that a current MOT is not a guarantee that a car is safe for every journey.

Drivers remain responsible for keeping their vehicles roadworthy.

Five Minutes Now, Fewer Surprises Later

The point is not to predict every possible breakdown. It is to catch the problems that are visible, measurable or already being flagged by the car.

Before a summer journey on the A47, A11 or any longer Norfolk route, check the tyres, coolant, warning lights and cabin comfort before the car is packed.

Five minutes at home is far better than an hour waiting beside a hot road with passengers, luggage and nowhere comfortable to stop.

Have We Missed Something?

Do you know a trusted Norfolk garage, have a useful driving tip or think there is another check local drivers should make before setting off?