Drivers Prioritise Playlist Planning Over Prepping The Car

You’ve booked your accommodation, packed your suitcases, and are ready to hit the road. But what do you do before you pull away? 

One in six drivers won’t check their car tyres before departing on their holiday journey, but many will spend over half an hour choosing music. Which camp are you in?

Recent research from Kwik Fit’s team has revealed that Brits holidaying by car will travel an average of 563 miles to UK destinations, and 815 miles for foreign trips. However, very few drivers prepare their cars properly before they go, opting to spend more time curating the perfect playlist.*

Read on to learn more about our holiday driving habits (as well as some quick tips for preparing your car for your journey).

Brits prefer to play DJ than prep the car

Our surveys show that many drivers are spending more time poring over Spotify or rifling through their CD collection than making vital checks on their car or planning their journey.

One in six holidaymakers travelling by car won’t check their tyre pressures, but many will still find time to prepare a travel playlist or select their snacks. 

Of the 4.9 million Brits admitting that they won’t ensure their tyres are correctly inflated before setting off, nearly 30% say they will instead spend time choosing the music for their journey, picking their tunes for an average of 36 minutes. 

Which essential checks are skipped the most?

Not only are tyre pressures being overlooked, but other simple-but-essential checks are even more likely to be neglected. Despite the growing probability of high temperatures, 28% of holidaymakers won’t check their coolant. More than 22% won’t ensure they have sufficient oil, and almost as many (19%) won’t make sure their screen wash is topped up.

When it comes to critical tyre checks, 22% won’t spend any time checking their tyre tread at all!

Check your car's vitals

We have plenty of expertly authored guidance to walk you through how to check your car’s vitals yourself, making it quick and easy to ensure your car is road-ready (almost as easy as queuing up your favourite hits). Use this like a quick checklist if it’s helpful:

• Check your engine oil.
• Make sure your screenwash is topped up.
• Check your coolant levels.
• Inflate your tyres to the right pressure.
• Check your tread depth with a 20p.

Checks when driving abroad

If you’re planning on making a long journey, checking that your car is roadworthy and safe is essential. If you’re travelling abroad, these checks become even more important. 

That said, our research found that checks particularly relevant to overseas car trips are being missed:

• 25% of people taking their own car abroad say they won’t check the up-to-date driving regulations for their destination.
• 23% of drivers won’t make sure that their insurance or breakdown policies cover them for the trip.

A nation of sweet tooths

There’s nothing worse than driving on an empty stomach - except, maybe, a tyre blowout or your engine overheating…

But, despite many drivers spending no time at all checking their tyres or topping up vital fluids, Britain’s drivers spend an average of 22 minutes choosing sweet treats and snacks for their journey.  

Sticking with the food theme, holiday travellers will take 25 minutes to prepare sandwiches or a packed lunch, and 22 minutes buying or preparing drinks for their car. Similarly, 28 minutes will be spent by people making sure their devices, and those of their children, are charged. 

Why not trim some time off preparing all the trimmings with our ultimate guide to easy road trip snacks?

Pump up the volume and the tyres

Roadtrips can be long, tiring, and - let’s face it- downright dull sometimes (unless you have the perfect staycation destination planned). So, crafting the perfect playlist to drown out the “are we nearly there yets” is essential for both sanity and comfort. 

But nothing should come above safety. If you haven’t checked your vehicle properly before you set off on your holiday, there’s a chance you might not get very far into your playlist without having to call for roadside assistance, or turn back again. 

While ensuring a comfortable journey inside the car is important, it should not be at the expense of vital checks. Dan Joyce, our operations director, says: 

Prep the car, then cue the tunes

In order to avoid any nasty surprises on the road, it’s essential for drivers to check their tyres and fluids (coolant, oil, screenwash). At Kwik Fit, we’ve got plenty of advice on how to prepare your car for a summer holiday:

• The Kit You Need When Driving Abroad 
• Safe Summer Driving Tips You Should Know
• Tips For Driving Safely This Festival Season

If you’re too busy refining your packing list or trying to make everything fit in your suitcase, leave the vehicle prep to the experts. Book in for a free vehicle safety check or free tyre check at your local Kwik Fit centre today.

And, if you do need help with your playlist, why not borrow one of ours?

*Research carried out by Opinium among a nationally representative sample of 2000 UK adults,  27 June – 1 July 2025.