The Ultimate Bank Holiday Road Trip Guide

The early May bank holiday is officially set to be the busiest on the UK roads in a decade. With nearly 19 million leisure trips planned, “Frantic Friday” and Saturday morning are expected to see significant tailbacks, particularly on the M5, M6, and M4 corridors.

At Perauto, we know that nothing ruins a holiday faster than a steaming bonnet on the hard shoulder. To keep you moving, we’ve put together the essential FORCES checklist to ensure your car is as ready for the break as you are.

1. Fuel (Smart Filling with FuelOps)

With fuel prices fluctuating across the country, filling up at the wrong station can cost you an extra £5-£10 per tank. And getting stuck in (the inevitable) traffic uses more fuel than you might think, so make use of Stop/Start if your car has it, and don’t set off with less than a 1/3rd of a tank.

• The Strategy: Don’t wait until the light comes on while you’re on the motorway. Use FuelOps.co.uk before you leave.
• The Edge: We built FuelOps specifically to harness live government data, giving you the most accurate, real-time prices at the pumps. Check the map, find the cheapest station on your route, and save your holiday budget for the actual holiday.

2. Oil & Fluids

Stop-start traffic in May heat puts immense strain on your engine’s cooling system.

• The Check: Ensure your engine oil is between the min/max marks. More importantly, check your coolant levels. If your car has been sitting in city traffic all winter, it might not be ready for a 3-hour crawl in the sun.
• Don’t Forget: Top up your screenwash. Spring “bug splatter” can seriously obscure your vision during sunset drives.

3. Rubber (Tyres)

• Pressure: Check your pressures while the tyres are cold. If you’re loading up the car with luggage and bikes, you may need to increase the PSI (check your door shut or fuel cap for the “loaded” settings).
• Tread: The legal limit is 1.6mm, but for heavy spring showers, we recommend at least 3mm for optimum grip and safety.

4. Cleaning: The Ceramic Secret

Before you head out, think about the aftermath. Driving through the countryside in May means one thing: bugs ending their lives on your bumper, bonnet and windscreen…

• The Tip: Apply a Ceramic Quick Detailer to the front bumper, bonnet, and wing mirrors.
• The Benefit: Ceramic technology creates a slick, hydrophobic layer. Not only does it give the car a deep, professional gloss for those holiday photos, but it prevents dead bugs from “baking” into your paintwork. When you get home, the grime will practically slide off reducing the risk of wash marring. Use of a citurs pre-wash also helps with bug splatter.

5. Electrics & Battery

Modern cars are “computers on wheels.” Increased use of dashcams, tablets for the kids, and GPS puts a heavy load on the battery.

• The Check: Ensure all lights are working. If your engine is sluggish to start on the driveway, your battery might struggle after a long day of powering gadgets in a traffic jam.

6. Safety Essentials

Pack a “Just in Case” kit:

• A physical map (for when the signal drops in the rural valleys).
• Plenty of water and snacks (essential for those 4-million-car Saturday queues).
• A power bank for your phone.

Ready for the Road?

Don’t leave your bank holiday to chance. Spend a little time preparing your car as part of your holiday prep. It’ll be worth it.

Bonus: I used AI to create the image, it made me chuckle for a number of reasons so I just ran with it. Can you tell me why 🙂