Top Tips For Driving In The Hot Sun

With the summer just around the corner and the temperature rising, many of us are planning our summer road trips. However, while the summer sun might make everything seem a little brighter if you’re in a truly hot state, it can negatively impact your car.

Here are some top tips for driving in the hot sun to help you keep your automobile in tip-top shape for the summer, ready to take you anywhere as you chase the sunshine.

Read More: Caring For Your Car In Summer

Do A Little Prep And Maintenance 

The first thing you can do to prepare your car for the coming heat is do a little maintenance, especially if your car has been sitting in the garage, waiting for the winter to end. Here’s a quick checklist of simple and easy things to do to ensure you’re ready for the summer roads.

• Check your tire pressures. Heat can make your tires fluctuate in pressure, so check them when they’re cool before starting your journey.
• Checking the level of your engine coolant. YOur wind most cars have a minimum to maximum marker is displayed on the coolant tank to help you determine if you need to top it up. It’s also a good idea to keep a bottle of water in the trunk of your vehicle just in case you need to replenish coolant while you’re out on the road.
• Check you have enough fluid in your windscreen washer reservoir to wipe away dust and insects from your windscreen.
• Having enough water and snacks for the journey. Water is especially important. You don’t know if there will be traffic snarls, and your journey might take much longer than anticipated.
• Planning regular rest breaks. Long journeys in hot weather can be monotonous and tiring, and driving when tired is extremely dangerous.
• Tune into your local traffic station so you know about traffic jams in time to avoid them. This is especially important in summer as overheated engines in long traffic jams are among the largest causes of breakdowns in hot weather.

How To Deal With Glare

While it might seem innocuous, glare from the sun causes around three thousand traffic incidents yearly. To avoid becoming part of that statistic, you can take a couple of easy steps.

• If there is a lot of sun glare, slow down as you would if you were driving in heavy rain, snow, or any other kind of visibility-reducing weather.
• Leave a larger gap between you and the car in front of you to make sure you have enough time to react to a sudden change in the situation.
• Remember the two-second gap. If you’re unsure how much space to leave, pick a stationary object at the side of the road. Wait for the car in front of you to pass it and then say, “Only a Fool Breaks the Two-Second Rule”  at your normal speaking pace. If you can say that phrase before you pass the same stationary object, you’ve left enough distance between you and the car in front.
• Keep a pair of sunglasses in place you don’t have to take your eyes off the road to retrieve. If you don’t have such a place, pull over and stop before looking for them.

Keep Your Pets Safe

Unlike humans, dogs can’t sweat to release heat. This makes being stuck in a hot car a very dangerous situation for them.

According to the RSPCA, animals can die from heatstroke in as little time as 15 minutes. Signs of heatstroke in animals include: 

• Restlessness
• Thick saliva
• Heavy panting
• Lethargy
• Lack of appetite
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Lack of coordination

If you do find your pet is suffering from heatstroke, apply cool wet towels to the stomach, chest, and paws but be careful not to overcool the animal with ice or very cold water. If you are taking your pet for a ride with you on a hot day, remember to include water for them to drink.