Heatwave driving tips

heatwave_wfwWith temperatures
rising we’ve got ten tips to help ensure that you and your car survive even the hottest driving conditions.

  1. When driving in extreme heat, water is crucial to avoid dehydration so have plenty of bottled water in your car
  2. Make sure your phone is fully charged
  3. Never leave your child or pet in the car, unattended, even for a few minutes, in the heat.
  4. Avoid travelling at peak times, if you’re traveling a long distance, leave early in the morning or late at night.
  5. Sounds obvious but wear appropriate clothing. Wearing light coloured clothing made of natural fabrics will keep you cooler longer.
  6. Check your tyres are properly inflated and check your oil level.
  7. Make sure that your air conditioning (if you have it!) works properly.
  8. If the engine starts to overheat, pull the car over immediately and wait for assistance. Continuing to drive even for a short distance could cause irreparable damage to the car and cost you significantly more in the long run
  9. When parking, try and keep your car in the shade
  10. Having an emergency kit in your car is always a good idea, useful items include water, non-perishable food items (energy bars, unsalted nuts, dried fruit) a torch with extra batteries, basic tool kit and a first aid kit.

 

Geraldine Herbert

 

 

Author: Geraldine Herbert

Motoring Editor and Columnist for the Sunday Independent and editor of wheelsforwomen. Geraldine is also a regular contributor to Good Housekeeping (UK), EuroNews and to RTÉ, Newstalk, TodayFM, BBC Radio and Vigin Media. You can follow Geraldine on Twitter at @GerHerbert1

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