*Driving Safety Tips + Heatwave Car Checks

Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Image from Pinterest
Today's post is all about car safety and since passing my driving test after the second time in December 2016, it's become something I'm much more aware of. You can read about my experience of learning to drive on my blog.

Before learning to drive I knew very little about car safety checks or the internal workings of a car but I personally think that it's something every driver should know the basics of. I'm still learning and thankfully my dad is very knowledgable when it comes to cars, engines and the mechanical components but there's still more I need to learn. I don't want to be one of those people who knows nothing about their car besides that they like the colour!

Coolant Levels 
Looking after your car is something that should be done all year round but particularly during the winter and summer seasons when the temperatures are a little more extreme and can affect the safety of your car. The coolant levels within your car are important to check as you don't want to it be low because that could make the engine and radiator work harder resulting in a over heated engine - not what you want at any time but especially not during a very hot day or during a heatwave like the one we've been having over the past few weeks in the UK. The coolant level is something you can top-up yourself or you can take your car to a garage.

Air Conditioning + Ventilation 
Another important point to check particularly if you are going on a road trip this summer is the fans, ventilation and air conditioning of your car. Checking that these aspects are working is important because as with the first point, you don't want your engine to over heat, you also don't want the driver or passengers to overheat! Checking that the air conditioning system is fully gassed is something that your garage can do for you.

Exhaust 
One of the most important components of your car is it's exhaust! For me, it isn't something I've ever thought of but it's invaluable because it removes toxic gases and fumes from your engine. If the exhaust isn't working properly then the worst case scenario is toxic fumes such as deadly carbon monoxide, building up within the interior of the car posing a serious health risk to the driver and passengers so it's not something that should be overlooked. There are a few warning signs to look out for such as a warning light, rattling noise, vibrations and loud exhaust noises, if you experience any of these then you should get your car checked immediately - I can't stress enough the importance of making sure your exhaust is fully working. It is actually illegal to drive with a non-functioning exhaust - the fumes need to pass through a silencer/muffler to reduce noise. If there is a problem and you are based in London, your exhaust can be replaced by DAT Tyres. It's a safety check that should be done constantly but particularly before a long journey.

Tyres
The final safety point I'm going to mention in todays post is about tyres. The tread depth and quality of your tyres is important as it's something that could cause your car to fail an MOT test. We recently had to replace two tyres as they were getting close to the minimum legal tread depth in the UK. We've all heard about winter tyres but did you know that you can also buy summer tyres? Summer tyres can provide high grip on dry and wet roads and also provide high driving stability and optimum mileage performance for the higher summer temperatures, perfect for the heatwave temperatures we've had recently.

Did you know some of these safety points? If you drive, did you know about the dangers of a faulty exhaust (I didn't)? 

*This is a collaborative post
*Image from Pinterest

20 comments

  1. I wish I could drive! It would make everything so much easier. Trying to get two babies into a bus will not be fun.

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  2. Such importantant tips for drivers!
    Love, Amie ❤
    The Curvaceous Vegan

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  3. I drive but I don’t have a car at the moment so fortunately not something I have to worry about. A car without air con in the Summer is hell on Earth.

    Jenny
    http://www.jennyinneverland.com

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  4. I hate getting in the car when it's so hot and all the interiors are boiling to touch!

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  5. This is so important! And never ever leave pets in the car!

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  6. What a wonderfully important post!!

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  7. Super important tips! Great post.

    Faye Jessica | fayejessica.co.uk

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  8. I am going to have to bookmark this blog post and do some checks!

    Danielle xx
    https://www.fashionbeautyblog.co.uk/

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  9. I don’t drive, I hate it, but I think I would want to know the basics and as much as I can before driving x

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  10. So important to remember these things as a driver.

    http://littlemissmelanie.com

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  11. I love how you cover so many different topics on your blog! Fab

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  12. Such very useful tips. I think not many people would know these so its good that you shared them!

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  13. ah I need to sort out learning to drive

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  14. This is such a good post! Such important tips that every driver must remember!
    xxx

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  15. I barely know anything about checking my car for safety measures but thankfully I have plenty of time to learn as mine is brand new!

    Gemma Louise

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  16. I SUCK at looking after my car. I really need to be better at it because I am truly terrible! :O

    Erin || MakeErinOver

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  17. I'm so bad at checking my car or knowing anything about it - luckily my boyfriend is really into car's so I have him!xo

    Char | www.charslittleblog.co.uk

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  18. I didn't know you can get summer tyres!! I'll be sure to share that! x

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  19. Definitely important. We're off on a roadtrip in September so this is a useful reminder! :)

    Sincerely, Sarah xx
    www.sincerelysarah.net

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