Thursday 29 June 2017

Summer Driving Guide

a car

We are officially in summer. This means longer days, sunny weather (hopefully) and for me more road trips.
I mentioned in my 2017 Goals Update that I got a new car. I'll be honest, the way I treated my last car was terrible. Especially on road trips. I used to drive for hours without looking after my car that it really shouldn't surprise me the amount of money I spent fixing it! I've learnt a few things from that experience and want to treat this car better and thought I should share with you some driving tips so you don't have to go through what I did!

Check your tyres 
Luckily my new car now tells me when my tyre pressure is low. However, this wasn't always the case and one time my dad looked at my tyres and was shocked I was driving around like that.  Low tyres are not only bad but it also means you use up more petrol and anyone that drives knows that petrol isn't cheap! Also check that there isn't any punctures which could lead to a burst tyre, the tread is at the correct standard and that you have a spare tyre.

Have the right amount of petrol for your journey
One time I was stuck in a traffic jam trying to get out of Bluewater with only quarter of a tank left. Usually this would have been ok but I was stuck in the traffic for about 2 hours! I could see my petrol getting lower and I was starting the panic in case I ran out. You never know what could happen on the roads and usually in summer everyone else has the same idea on going on a trip. Always make sure you have enough petrol in your tank, even if this means having to top up at a petrol station on the motorway.

Make sure there is water in your car
Driving in heat as well as long journeys can overheat your car. You really do not want this to happen. Make sure you have added water to your car before you trip and keep spare on you. You should also add water for your windscreen wipers. The roads can get dusty and you want your windows to be clear at all times. You'll be surprised at how dirty they get!

Take care of your car battery
Believe it or not but I had actually killed my car battery twice with my old car. And they aint cheap my friend to replace. Hot weather can be damaging to the car battery and it can shorten battery life. Battery contains fluid and hot weather can make it evaporate as a result it can be damaged. You can take care of your car battery by making sure it is clean, free of dirt and grease and also make sure it is charging well. In case you need to replace it get high quality car batteries in Dundee from Fife Autocentre. 

Wear Sunglasses
I don't know about you but the sun makes me sleepy. If I am squinting my eyes constantly then I start to feel drowsy. Obviously behind the wheel this is so dangerous. Now I always keep a spare in the car. You don't want your eyesight to be obstructed by glare!

Bring drinking water and food/snacks
There is nothing worse than feeling hungry and dehydrated while driving. Like I mentioned before, sometimes you don't know what can happen on the roads and if you are stuck somewhere it's good to know you have something to eat and drink. If possible you should take regular breaks and keep fresh air flowing through the car.

Get your car serviced
Although this isn't much to do with road trip driving, if you are doing it a lot I would suggest getting your car serviced twice a year or at least once. If you look after your car your car will look after you.

I hope you learn from my experiences and my tips are useful to you if you decide to do some road tripping over the summer. Do let me know in the comments if you have any trips planned and what you do to make sure you trip goes smoothly.

The post was in collaboration with Fife Autocentre. 
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