Now more than ever, people are clamoring to get out of their house and high-tail it to the beach, the mountains, anywhere to enjoy the outdoors and soak up some sun. But, before you even pull out of the driveway, make sure you’ve taken a quick second to review this short list of tips for safe summer driving.
Your Guide to Summer Driving
Pack an Emergency Kit
Picture this:
You’re driving on an empty back road on your way to the beach.
Out of nowhere, the sky starts falling out.
Almost as suddenly, your car starts sputtering. You pull to the side, and it shuts off.
In an instant, you’re stuck on the road. You check your phone and realize it’s on its last legs, too.
What would have been a minor inconvenience has now become a potentially miserable issue.
Luckily, this type of scenario can be avoided entirely by taking a few minutes to pack an emergency kit. Useful items to include are:
- Cold packs
- 2 water bottles per person
- Jumper cables
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Charging blocks and phone chargers
- High-calorie, non-perishable food
Get Your Tires Checked
Make sure each of your tires is fitted and inflated according to manufacturer recommendations. You can find this information in your owner’s manual. If you check your tires and discover they’re not properly inflated, you can quickly fix the issue by inflating them at a local gas station.
Additionally, keep a watchful eye on your tire’s treads. The quality and durability of your treads can become worn down after dealing with cold, wintry weather for a whole season. To check whether or not you need to have your treads replaced, take a minute to complete the penny test.
Take It Slow When Backing Up
Longer, sunnier days inevitably means that our neighborhoods come alive with the sound of children playing and running around. Unfortunately, kids are often oblivious to their surroundings while at play. This means you need to pay extra attention when backing out of your driveway or driving through residential neighborhoods.
Learn How to Prepare for and Handle Heatstroke
Summer obviously brings rising temperatures, but the increased heat can actually be quite dangerous if not properly protected against. If exposed to high enough temperatures over a prolonged period, one can develop heatstroke.
This isn’t some sort of nightmare scenario that only happens in the hottest places on Earth, either — an outside temperature in the low 80s can cause the inside of your vehicle to reach deadly temperatures in mere minutes.
Remember to absolutely never leave a child in a vehicle unattended and to check your entire vehicle before locking the door.
Get Your Vehicle Serviced in Concord, NC
Come down to the Genesis of Concord service center in Concord, NC, and schedule an appointment with our dedicated technicians. We’ll get your car the exact care it needs at the exact right price before that next big beach trip.