Summer Safety Tips
Just like wintertime, the summer offers its own perils. The human body and automobile are both most comfortable in moderate climates of 60 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Anything above or considerably below can become a dangerous situation.
Heat Stroke- While cold is unpleasant and if becomes extreme can cause death, heat stroke is a dangerous situation for both children and animals, especially when left in an automobile unsupervised. A car interior can reach temperatures of over 180 degrees when left out in the sun. Yes, water and keeping the windows rolled down helps some, but even better is just not to ever leave anything in your car for much over 5 minutes on a summer day.
Surprisingly, a study by Standford has shown that a parked car can even become dangerously hot during mild temperatures (72 degrees). So, don’t judge just by the feel of the outside air.
Overheating- While more of a problem in the vehicles that are several years old, overheating is still a danger in certain climates for any car that is put through an extended amount of heat build up. Over steep mountain passes in dessert country is of particular danger to your cars engine. Overheating of an engine can cause the radiator to boil, or the engine to freeze up entirely. Many older model vehicles are particularly sensitive to overheating when the air conditioning is on.
If your car does over heat due to overheating from the air conditioner, one of the most effective things you can do is turn the heater on to help expel excessive heat soak in the engine bay. This is a double whammy of course to the driver and passengers on a hot day, so if this tactic does not do any good within a few minutes, it is best to just pull over and let the car cool down before continuing on with your journey.
Have your air conditioning checked for leaks and charged if necessary early on in the summer, don’t wait until one of those “dog days” to find it’s on its last legs.
Breakdown- Summer breakdowns can happen just as often as winter ones. This can be due to weak belts, malfunctioning wiring, low fluid levels (leaks), or cracked hoses. For this reason it is important to have these checked at the beginning of every summer and then carry an emergency kit at all times.
The emergency kit should not only have water, (nonperishable) snacks, a first aid kit, and a thermal blanket (it can get cold in the dessert at night), but it should also have an extra belts, hose mending kit, tire “fix-a-flat”, spare tire in case the leak is severe, jack, lug nut wrench, jumper cables, flashlight, cell phone, flares, map (GPS), extra fluids (radiator, brake, power steering, windshield fluid, oil, transmission, etc.)
Summer is bright, sunny, and colorful, which can give the impression that it is much less dangerous than the bitter cold winter months. Don’t let it fool you however, summer has its own dangers and deserves its own form of careful preparation to keep both you and your family safe!
