With the longest day having come and gone and June turning into July, it is just a few weeks before the school holidays come around – and for many families that can mean a long road trip.

You might be driving hundreds of miles from north to south to explore the Cornish coast, east to west to explore the Welsh mountains, or south to north to enjoy your own Highland fling.

That will be a cause of great excitement, especially if you are leaving a town or city behind to explore the wide open spaces of the countryside, but it is vital before undertaking such a long journey that you check your car is in good working order. Organisations like the RAC recommend that you make maintenance checks a part of your preparation.

Among the things it advises to check are the coolant, washer fluid and oil levels, tyre pressure, and that your lights are all working.

However, this is not all. If you have a crack in the window, it is important to make use of vehicle glass replacement services now. The last thing you want is it widening to the point where your car cannot be driven legally and you are badly delayed on your journey or stranded in the middle of nowhere waiting for help to arrive.

The AA advises that driving with a cracked window will be illegal if it impedes your view. As well as being dangerous, if you are stopped when driving with your window in this state you can incur three points on your licence and a fine. It all adds up to a hassle you just don’t want on your holiday.

Of course, it may be that the crack is caused during the journey or while you are away, but if there is a small crack before you go, don’t risk it getting bigger; getting it seen to now is the best way of preventing it keeping you off the road when you have a long journey to make.