Summer Driving Safety Tips — NHTSA Approved!

Do you need a refresher on summer driving safety tips? Then you’ve come to the right place.

Safety experts tend to emphasize the dangers of wintertime driving and heavy rainfall, but every season poses its own risks to driver safety. In fact, summer comes with its own set of hazards that require immediate attention. With sweltering temperatures and relentless sunshine, your vehicle could be facing months of internal and exterior damage. Not to mention, your time spent on the road will likely become more dangerous.

According to road safety organizations, July and August are some of the worst times to drive. As summer vacationers venture out onto the highway, traffic jams and collisions start to build up nationwide. For these reasons, it’s important to analyze the dangers of driving during the summer to better protect yourself and others during this time.

What are the dangers of driving in summer?

To give our readers the best information, we first need to assess the summer changes that may impact driver safety. As outlined by the NHTSA, here are the top three components that will influence the wellness of your vehicle this summer:

A/C performance

As summer hits, the temperatures rise drastically. That means, your A/C will have to work double time to keep passengers cool. For this reason, it’s important to check the quality of your cooling system in the summer months. If your A/C breaks down due to rising outside temps, you could find yourself without air conditioning altogether, which presents a pertinent threat to people who are in sensitive to heat, such as young children or older adults.

Potential for heatstroke

Vehicular heatstrokes are becoming more and more common during the summer months, particularly amongst young children. Unfortunately, these incidents are often completely preventable with better awareness. Due to the quick rising temperatures of a vehicle, a child, animal, or person should never be left alone. Not even for a quick errand inside a convenience store. For more information regarding heatstroke safety, read our guide on How Parents Can Keep Their Child Safe From Hot Car Deaths here.

Wear and tear of belts and hoses

Summer heat can do a number on your vehicle in various ways. However, in most cases, you can’t see how much damage the sun’s exposure is actually causing. For instance, high summer temps tend to accelerate the wear and tear of belts and hoses under the hood. Make sure to inspect those car parts routinely and replace them if necessary.

Best summer driving safety tips

Admittedly, summer is all about having fun. But these summer driving safety tips are crucial for getting you better planned and prepared for whatever adventure lies ahead. Let’s get started!

1. Inspect your tires. Make sure they are properly inflated to your owner’s manual recommended inflation pressure. Use the penny test to determine if  your tire tread is in good condition. If there is damage or uneven wear, take your vehicle to the auto body shop ASAP.
2. Make sure you have enough coolant in your vehicle. The coolant will effectively transfer the heat in your car to prevent damage to your engine during the summer months. We also recommend having a mechanic do a general maintenance check on your cooling system just to make sure there are no hidden leaks.
3. Top off all your liquids. Check the following fluid levels in your car: oil, brake, transmission, power steering, and windshield wiper. Before you set out on a road trip, it’s vital to have the list of fluids your car needs completely full.
4. Check your headlights. Sun exposure can cause major wear and tear on your headlights during the summer months. Because of this, your headlamps may loose efficacy or become cloudy more quickly. Be sure to check your headlights for optimal illumination. If they appear dim, simply perform a DIY restoration or find quality replacements.
5. Battery check. Don’t wait until your battery gets overheated and you find yourself without power. Visit a mechanic and have them check your battery or charging system to make certain everything is in working order.

Following these summer driving safety tips is the best way to protect your loved ones during summertime. That said, it’s imperative to practice safe driving during every season of the year. Keep reading for additional safety reminders and tips for your time on the road.

More safety tips to consider

We hope these summer driving safety tips serve you well! Yet in addition to the summer months, its crucial to practice safe driving habits all year long. One way of doing this is by brushing up on basic safety protocols. Below we’ve bulleted the keystones of safe driving:

• Always buckle up. That includes passengers too. Be sure that every passenger, whether young or old, is strapped in and ready for the road.
• Ensure that car seats and booster seats are installed correctly. Also, make sure your little one is in the right seat for their size and age.
• Remain cautious of blind spots while driving or backing up. Although modern safety features, like 360 degree cameras, help prevent backover accidents, you must always double check your surroundings.
• Keep up with routine car maintenance. The longer you wait to fix a repair or change your oil, the more damage you are doing to your vehicle.
• Don’t speed. Not only will reducing your speed help you save on gas nowadays, it will also help prevent crashes. Stay weary of pedestrians crossings, sign changes, and heavily congested areas day and night.