The soaring summer temperatures can pose unexpected risks to motorists’ safety – and drivers are now being advised to remove three specific items from their cars
Motorists are being encouraged to remove three specific items from their cars as the heatwave reaches its peak. Parts of south-east England could hit 35C on Tuesday, which would be hotter than Barbados.
Wimbledon faced its hottest opening day on record – and could even see the highest temperature ever recorded during the tournament. However, these high summer temperatures can present unforeseen hazards to drivers’ safety. Drivers are now being advised to remove three particular items from their vehicles before the temperature climbs any higher – if they haven’t already done so.
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Firstly, bottled water. It might seem innocuous to leave a water bottle in your car after a long day, but as the temperature rises, chemicals from the plastic bottle can seep into the water, rendering it unsafe to drink.
In extreme situations, these bottles can also function as a magnifying glass for sunlight and potentially ignite a fire inside the car. The safest course of action is to simply remove the bottle from the car to ensure both the vehicle’s safety and the water’s freshness.
Secondly, medication. Many individuals may not realise that common over-the-counter medicines such as paracetamol, Calpol, cough syrup and other painkillers have a maximum temperature at which they remain effective.
Leaving a packet of painkillers in a hot car could make them less effective or even entirely ineffective, or worse, dangerous, reports the Express.
Most over-the-counter painkillers and medicines are only effective up to 25C, implying that you could unintentionally exacerbate your symptoms by taking them, and fail to address the ailment they’re intended for.
Sun cream, also referred to as sun block or sunscreen, is another item that can become problematic when left in a hot car. It can deteriorate within the bottle and might even burst due to the pressure from the heat.
It’s advised to treat it as if it’s expired sun cream and replace it.
So, what should you store in your car during a heatwave?
Aside from this, exercise prudence and drive safely under the sun, keeping a close watch on your engine’s temperature gauge to avoid costly breakdowns in the heat.