4 Safety Tips for Driving in Hot Weather

As summer approaches, you should make sure that you know how to drive safely in hot weather. Start by familiarizing yourself with these four safety tips. They should help you and your car stay in top condition throughout the hot summer months.

Check Your Tire Pressure

Warm weather will cause the air inside your tires to expand. This can make the pressure increase significantly within a short time.

Check your tires to make sure the pressure stays within a safe range. If you don’t know what pressure your tires should have, check your owner’s manual for advice.

While this may not seem like a big deal, it can prevent serious accidents. If you let the pressure build, then you could experience a blowout while driving. There’s a good chance that you’ll have an accident when that happens, especially if you are on a busy road.

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is often difficult during the summer. During the hottest days, just walking from your house to your car can make you sweat.

You can avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. You may have heard that people should drink eight glasses of water per day. That’s a good estimate for most people, but it makes more sense to think about your body size and how much activity you get.

If you are a sedentary person, then eight glasses of water is probably good for you. If you get a lot of exercise, though, you may need to drink more.

Remember that if you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Wear Sunscreen

Ideally, you should wear sunscreen when you are exposed to the sun’s rays. That includes time outside during winter. Summer, however, does put you at increased risk. This makes it crucial for you to wear sunscreen when you go outside.

When choosing a sunscreen, look for SPF 30 products. They block about 97 percent of the sun’s harmful rays. Your local drugstore probably has sunscreen products rated higher than SPF 30. Most doctors agree that there is little to no benefit to choosing them. Instead, opt for SPF 30, remember to wear it daily, and reapply every three to four hours.

Carry an Emergency Kit

During winter, you should carry an emergency kit that includes blankets and extra clothing. You probably won’t need them during summer, so replace them with items that come in handy when it’s hot out.

Some of the things you should carry during summer include:

• A gallon of drinking water
• Coolant if your car overheats
• Sun visors or hats to shield your eyes while you’re trying to repair your car

Whether you’re just heading to Roegner Park or you’re making the drive to Seattle, it’s always a good idea to make sure your summer emergency car kit is properly stocked.

In some ways, driving during summer is safer than driving during winter. At least you don’t have to worry about snow and ice. Still, there are dangers on the road, so you need to prepare yourself.

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