Long-distance driving and repeated traffic jams put more strain on a car than usual. With the mass movement of people beginning for Chuseok, the country's biggest holiday, a self-check of key items such as tires and engine oil before departure is essential to avoid being stranded by a sudden breakdown on the highway. Experts stress that basic vehicle checks and maintenance of consumable parts alone can prevent a large share of unexpected problems.
Tires come first. As the only part that touches the road, their condition directly determines braking performance. Check the wear indicator inside the tire grooves and replace the tire immediately if the tread depth has fallen to 1.6 millimeters or less. If you insert a 100-won coin into a groove and more than two-thirds of Admiral Yi Sun-sin's hat is visible, treat it as a danger sign.
Most recent vehicles are equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), which allows easy checks from the dashboard. Because tire pressure is sensitive to changes in outside temperature, it should be rechecked before any long drive. Tires more than three years old can harden and crack as the rubber degrades, so the sidewalls should be inspected closely for cuts or embedded nails to prevent an unexpected flat.
Checking the engine, the heart of the car, also matters. Stop-and-go driving in congested stretches causes engine temperatures to rise sharply. Use the dipstick in the engine bay to check the oil level and color, and change the oil before setting out if the level is below the "L" mark or the oil looks murky. Replacement is generally recommended once a year or every 7,000 to 10,000 kilometers. If coolant runs low, the engine can overheat and stall or, in severe cases, catch fire, so check that the level in the reserve tank sits between the maximum and minimum marks and top it up if needed. Opening the cap while the engine is still hot right after driving risks burns, however, so it is safer to check after the engine has fully cooled.
Brake pad wear is another item not to be skipped. Brakes are used frequently in holiday traffic, which speeds up wear. If you hear a metallic grinding sound when braking or have to press the pedal deeper than usual, the pads have likely reached the end of their life. If they have not been replaced within the past year, it is safer to have them inspected before departure.
The battery should not be forgotten either. Long trips and heavy traffic mean longer use of electrical equipment such as air conditioning and navigation, which drains the battery faster. If the starter motor turns weakly or the headlights flicker, suspect declining battery performance. Checking the installation and replacement history, and having a repair shop test the charge if there are warning signs, is the quickest way to avoid a dead battery.
Before night driving, confirm in advance that the headlights, brake lights and turn signals all work properly, and ask a family member for help with the brake lights, which are hard to check alone. If the wipers make noise or fail to clear the windshield, replace the blades and refill the washer fluid. Along with emergency supplies such as a warning triangle and a flashlight, drivers should also check whether the car carries a fire extinguisher, which has been mandatory for passenger vehicles with five or more seats sold since December 2024.
If a car stops on the highway, turn on the hazard lights immediately, move to safety beyond the guardrail and use the Korea Expressway Corporation's emergency towing service, which will move the vehicle to a safe zone free of charge.
The driver's physical condition deserves as much attention as the car. Sitting in the driver's seat for three to four hours at the short end, or close to 10 hours at the long end, puts cumulative strain on the lower back. If the buttocks and legs hurt more than the back, or if numbness and tightness extend to the calves and feet, the pain may not be simple muscle soreness but the result of a protruding disc pressing on a nerve root, which calls for caution.
See a doctor if pain radiates down the leg when coughing or sneezing, if the ankle or big toe feels weak, or if the pain does not ease after several days. Numbness in both legs combined with difficulty urinating may be an emergency.
Experts advise stopping the car once every two hours and walking for about five minutes for the sake of back health. At a rest area, placing both hands on the waist and gently leaning backward 10 times, then walking briefly, is enough to ease the load on the discs.
While driving, it helps to recline the seatback slightly, to about 100 to 110 degrees, and place a thin cushion or towel between the lower back and the seat to maintain the spine's natural curve. Driving with a wallet in the back pocket or holding the steering wheel with only one arm can twist the pelvis and cause pain, and should be avoided. When traveling with children or pets, children must be secured in a car seat in the back, and pets should be kept in a dedicated carrier or restrained with a seat belt attachment.
An auto industry official said, "The holiday drive comes around every year, but there is no room for complacency," adding, "Checking the car before departure reduces the risk of accidents, and using the free inspections offered by automakers lets you secure safety and save money at the same time."
