Before any long drive, a few quick checks go a long way toward avoiding a breakdown hundreds of miles from home.
Start with your tires — tread depth, even wear, and correct pressure (including the spare). Uneven wear is often the first sign of an alignment or suspension issue worth addressing before a trip, not during one.
Check fluid levels across the board: oil, coolant, brake fluid, and washer fluid. Low coolant on a hot highway drive is one of the most common summer breakdown causes we see.
Finally, test your battery if it's more than three years old. Batteries often fail with no warning, and it's a five-minute check that can save you from being stranded.