More and more people are using their pickup trucks for family road trips. That's because today's pickup trucks have more cab space than ever before.

Today, you can buy a four-door pickup truck with enough cab space to comfortably seat a family of four.

If you're planning on taking your truck on any road trips, you should follow the tips in this article. You'll discover how to:

• Save Money


• Reduce Stress


• Get to Your Destination Faster!

Here are some of the best ways to prepare your truck for long road trips.

• Perform Maintenance €" Before any long road trip, you should perform any maintenance that needs to be done on your truck. Get the oil changed, get the brakes checked and check the air pressure in your tires. By keeping your tires properly inflated, you improve your truck's gas mileage. Truck lid manufacturers also say having a tonneau cover helps with gas mileage.



• Map Your Trip €" Even with all of today's GPS systems and gadgets, it's still a good idea to map out your trip. These systems aren't always reliable. Having an old fashion, paper map can help a lot if your cell phone or navigation system runs out of battery power.



• Get Paperwork in Order €" Besides your paper map, you'll want to make sure that you have your vehicle registration and insurance information in an easily accessible place. Be sure all the information is up to date and nothing is expired.



• Be Prepared for Emergencies €" You never know what will happen once you hit the open road. Make sure that you have all the proper items in case of an emergency. Include a first aid kit as well as cold weather gear if it's winter. Also have jumper cables, oil, coolant and other items for your truck.



• Inform Family about Trip €" Let someone close to you know that you're going on a trip. Have this person in your cell phone as an emergency contact. Label them in your phone as I.C.E. (Incase of Emergency). This will help emergency responders contact that person should you get into a serious accident.

Once you're on the road trip, be sure to take plenty of breaks. Taking breaks helps you keep your focus when driving. You'll also want to be sure to:

• Avoid Driving Distracted €" Put down the cell phones and iPods. Stay focused on the road.



• Take Turns Driving €" If there is someone else that can drive, let them share in the driving, especially on those long road trips.



• Get Something to Eat €" Eating helps to maintain your focus. Don't eat while driving. It can cause an accident.



• Know When to Stop €" If you're extremely tired or the weather is really bad, pull over and stop driving. It's better to be safe than sorry.

These tips will help keep you safe when driving your truck on long road trips. To keep things safe in your truck bed, considering getting one of several truck cover products. These can include tonneau covers and truck caps.