Safety Tips for Summer Driving

The Heat is On

Start with yourself and passengers first. Is everyone properly dressed for the heat, wearing light colored and natural fiber fabrics? Does everyone have a beach towel or other lightweight cover to shade the sun and yes, even inside the car, is everyone wearing their sunscreen? It’s all part of being prepared for the possibility of a traffic delay or breakdown forcing you all out of the vehicle.

Before everyone piles into the car, start it up, crack the windows to vent the cabin heat and run the air conditioner for a few minutes. If your car’s interior is black, check the heat of the seats before you sit! Hot stuff!

Keep a cooler with water and chilled drinks on hand to be sure everyone — including pets — stays hydrated. Water and tea are better options than sugary or heavy drinks — and stay clear of caffeine-laden drinks that are inherently dehydrating.

Window shades are great for protecting the little ones strapped in their car seats; don’t forget they are particularly sensitive to temperature extremes, so NEVER leave any child — or pet — unattended in a vehicle for even a moment. It isn’t worth the risk.

Make a Plan

Plan your travel route in advance and be sure to notify someone of your route, destination and projected arrival time.

Fill your fuel tank and try to keep it at three-quarters full. Running out of gas — especially in a remote location — is dangerous in extreme heat.

Before you hit the road, check the Weather Channel at www.weather.com for conditions along your route of travel.

Keeping it Cool

Keep the interior of the vehicle as cool as possible. Maintaining a comfortable driving environment reduces fatigue, which plays an important role in driver alertness and vehicle safety. During extreme summer heat, a properly operating air conditioning system can be more than just a pleasant convenience. If a car’s air conditioning does not maintain the interior temperature as well as it did in the past, it may mean the refrigerant level is low or there is another problem. Have the air conditioning system checked by a certified technician.

Many automotive climate control systems today are equipped with a cabin filter that prevents outside debris from entering. If your vehicle has one, this filter should be inspected and replaced as needed to ensure maximum airflow and cooling during the summer months. (www.AAA.com)

Save yourself a lot of hassle in the hot-weather months by monitoring your car’s fluids. Fluids you should check include:

· Coolant. This is the big one. If your coolant/antifreeze level is too low, it can cause overheating.

· Motor oil

· Transmission fluid

· Brake fluid

· Power-steering fluid

· Windshield wiper fluid

Automobile and truck engines work extra hard in the summer; it is the cooling system’s job to protect the engine from overheating. In addition, additives in the coolant protect the radiator and internal engine components against wear and corrosion. Without proper cooling system maintenance, the odds of long-term engine damage or a summer time boil over increase. Who doesn’t recognize that smell?

Over time, engine coolant becomes contaminated and its protective additives are depleted. It’s especially important with the onset of summer heat be sure the system has been flushed and the coolant replaced as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Your owner’s manual or maintenance booklet will indicate the service interval appropriate for your vehicle.

In the meantime, make sure the coolant is filled to the proper levels by checking the overflow reservoir. If necessary, top off the reservoir with a 50/50 mix of water and the coolant type specified by the vehicle manufacturer. CAUTION! Never remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot — boiling coolant under pressure could cause serious burns.

Rubber cooling system components also are susceptible to deterioration caused by extreme heat. Inspect hoses and drive belts for cracking, soft spots or other signs of poor condition. Worn parts are more susceptible to failure in hot conditions and should be replaced. It’s not a bad idea to have a professional take a look before you head out on a long trip.

Battery

Summer heat can negatively impact your battery even more than bitter cold. Heat and vibration are the leading causes of internal breakdown and battery failure. Make sure your car’s battery is securely mounted to minimize vibration.

Another challenge for your battery in summer heat is the accelerated evaporation of battery fluid, leading to corrosion on terminals and connections. Clean corrosive buildup from the terminals and clamps and be sure the clamps are tightened in place. Most batteries are maintenance-free these days, but if your battery has caps, check the level and top off as necessary. If you have a maintenance-free wet cell, gel cell or absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery, inspect it to be sure it hasn’t cracked or leaked. If a car’s battery is more than three years old, it’s wise to have it inspected and tested by a trained technician to determine how much longer it will last. Installing a new battery will cost you less than it will to have a dead battery serviced should your car break down — say nothing of the potential danger of stranding yourself on the roadside in extreme heat.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road

Ensure that your tires are properly inflated. Driving on under-inflated tires not only affects the handling, braking and fuel efficiency of a vehicle, it also can cause tires to overheat and increase the possibility of a blowout. This problem becomes even more worrisome when road temperatures are extremely high.

More than half the vehicles on the road have at least one under-inflated tire, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association — probably because, studies suggest, 85% of motorists do not know how to properly inflate their tires.

Check your tires when the car has been sitting long enough to cool down. They should be inflated to the pressure recommended in the owner’s manual or sticker on the driver’s door jamb — not the number molded into the tire sidewall. Don’t be surprised if your manufacturer calls for different pressures for the front and rear tires. And don’t forget the spare!

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tires lose one PSI every month, so it’s not a bad idea to get yourself a gauge so you can monitor tire pressure monthly or more often if you’re on a long trip in the summer heat. (www.caradvice.askpatty.com)

While checking the tire pressures, take a moment to inspect the tire treads for adequate depth and any signs of uneven wear that might indicate a suspension or alignment problem. Tires worn to 2/32 of an inch or less are unsafe and should be replaced.

Let ’Em Work. Let ’Em Live.

Warm weather also means more construction projects causing traffic congestion along roadways. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that construction and maintenance work zones averaged 773 driving fatalities per year from 2005 through 2014 (www.esurance.com). Use caution around these projects, obeying all signs, watching for pedestrians and work vehicles entering and leaving work zones. (www.AARP.com)

Be prepared to have to wait in the heat and be prepared to share the road with all those drivers who decided to take the same vacation days you did. Be patient. This is no time to lose your cool.

School’s Out

When school’s out, more teen drivers hit the roads…and, like, more teen drivers on the road spells more danger for the rest of us, Dude. The lack of experience coupled with the distraction of social media increase the risk of an accident. Data clearly shows that teens are more likely to be involved in accidents than other age groups.

Bikers Roll

Cyclists and bikers take to the open road in warm weather — finally pulling their vehicles out of the garage…and into traffic.

Sharing the road with cyclists can make ordinary traffic maneuvers — from turning right to parallel parking — more dangerous. The IIHS reported that 720 cyclists were involved in fatal accidents with motor vehicles in 2014 alone. (www.esurance.com)

If you’re a biker, run with your lights on and assume no one sees you coming. If you’re a driver traveling on a sunny day, look twice and anticipate you’ll be sharing the road with one of these fair weather warriors.

Watch the Gauges

In hot weather, it is particularly important to keep an eye on the lights and gauges. If your temperature gauge moves up, turn off your air conditioner and turn on the heater to its highest, hottest setting. It will be uncomfortable, but it will help draw some of the heat away from the engine.

If you are stopped in traffic, put the car in “park” and lightly step on the gas to help circulate coolant.

If the temperature light goes on or if the gauge enters the red zone, immediately pull off the road to a safe spot, well away from traffic. Do not drive any further — not even to the next exit. Driving with an overheated engine can cause serious damage.

Do not attempt to remove the radiator cap. The hot, pressurized coolant will spray out with great force. Do not pour water over the radiator or engine, since a dramatic change in temperature could cause damage. After the engine cools, add a 50/50 mix of coolant and water to the reservoir to bring it up to its proper level.

Bring a cell phone for emergency calls. (Road & Travel Magazine)

Better to be Prepared

An emergency vehicle kit is something that you should keep in your car year-round, but in both the winter and the summer, having one becomes especially important. Your kit should be stored somewhere safe and accessible, and should include the following items (www.idrivesafely.com):

· Jumper cables

· A flashlight w/extra batteries

· Road flares

· Water

· Nonperishable food items

· A first aid kit

· Basic hand tools

· Extra coolant

For crashes or other situations requiring emergency assistance:

· Dial 911.

· If possible, move the vehicle out the travel lanes into a safe area.

· Try to find shade for everyone; stay out of direct sunlight.

· Attend to all medical needs in a safe, shaded place if possible; also, find a safe place to call for roadside assistance.

· If your vehicle becomes nonoperational, raising the front hood and activating its flashing “hazard lights” signal to other drivers and emergency responders that it is disabled.

For stalled or stopped vehicles:

· Call for assistance right away to reduce your wait time.

· Keep your vehicle in a shaded area if possible and run the air conditioner (A/C). If the A/C is not working, roll down all the windows.

· DRINK WATER. Make sure everyone, including pets, stays hydrated.

· Without air conditioning, the temperature inside a stopped vehicle can rise to a dangerous (even deadly) level rather quickly. If temperatures inside the vehicle become too hot, carefully exit all passengers, including pets. Seek out or create a shaded area as far away from the travel lanes as possible.

· Raise the front hood of the vehicle and turn on flashing “hazard lights.” (www.azdot.gov)

You’ve Got This. Enjoy Your Trip.

We all have our favorite summer destinations and suffering through heavy traffic has become the price we pay for getting there. Congested roads make for challenging driving conditions and heat only escalates the potential for road rage. Don’t fall for it.

Expect the impatient driver who will cut you off. Expect the out-of-town driver to be unpredictable or erratic on unfamiliar roads. Give the old folks some room as they putter along at their own pace; all too soon, it’ll be your turn.

Relax. By knowing what you might encounter, you can keep yourself safe, your vehicle running great and enjoy the glorious summer weather.

Quiz: Are you a smart driver? (AARP Driver Safety)

Alkane thanks Geico Insurance, www.aaa.com, www.aarp.org, www.esurance.com, www.idrivesafely.com, www.mynrma.com, www.consumerreports.org, www.weather.com, www.caradvice.askpatty.com, Gorman Insurance, Road & Travel Magazine, AARP Driver Safety, www.gerbercollision.com and Angela DeWelles of www.azdot.gov for their contributions to this article.

Alkane Truck Company is currently raising capital on the crowdfunding platform StartEngine. Find out more here: https://www.startengine.com/startup/alkane