Bags packed.Kids finally in the car.

Google Maps says two hours and 17 minutes.

You pull off the drive feeling unusually organised...

...and ten miles later a warning light comes on.

Not the start anybody had planned.

Before a long summer drive, there are a few things you can check at home in about five minutes.

It won't spot every possible problem.

But it might catch one of the obvious ones before the journey does.

1. Walk around the tyres

You don't need to be a mechanic. Just look at them.

Does one tyre look noticeably softer than the others?

Any cuts, cracks or bulges?

Anything stuck in the tread?

If something looks wrong, don't convince yourself it'll probably be fine for another 300 miles.

Check it.

2. Check the tyre pressures

This is especially worth doing when the car is loaded with people and luggage.

The correct pressures aren't necessarily the numbers printed on the tyre itself.

Look for the manufacturer's recommended pressures often inside the driver's door, fuel flap or handbook.

Some cars specify different pressures when heavily loaded.

And don't forget the spare if your car actually has one.

Finding a beautifully inflated spare after a puncture is considerably better than discovering something resembling a pancake.

3. Look under the bonnet

Do this with the car parked safely and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Check the engine oil.

Check the coolant level.

Top up the screenwash.

You don't need to start dismantling anything.

You're looking for the basics.

And never remove a coolant cap from a hot engine. That's one job that can wait until everything has cooled down.

4. Check the lights

Headlights.

Indicators.

Brake lights.

Rear lights.

It takes a minute.

For the brake lights, another person makes life easier although a reflection in a window or garage door can sometimes help if you're on your own.

A failed bulb is much nicer to discover on your driveway than after dark halfway across the country.

5. Look at what the car is telling you

Any warning lights you've been ignoring?

That little message you've dismissed every morning for the past fortnight?

The long journey isn't the ideal time to find out what it meant.

If the car is warning you about something you don't understand, check the handbook or get it looked at before setting off.

One more thing: what happens if you do break down?

Before leaving, check whether you actually have breakdown cover.

And if you do:

Who is it with?

Sounds obvious.

Until you're standing beside the A1 scrolling through old emails trying to remember.

Make sure your phone has some charge too.

A charger or power bank in the car isn't a bad idea.

Five minutes won't make your car bulletproof

Things can still go wrong.

A quick driveway check isn't a substitute for servicing, an MOT or getting a known problem repaired.

For a fuller checklist, the RAC Checklist To Long Journeys Is Worth Checking Out.

But that's not really the point.

You're trying to catch the easy stuff.

A soft tyre.

Low oil.

Empty screenwash.

A dead bulb.

A warning you've been ignoring.

Because spending five minutes checking the car is boring.

Spending three hours waiting for recovery with everybody asking “how much longer?” is considerably more boring.

Do the five-minute check.

Then go.