4 common mistakes you're making with your car in a heatwave
With temperatures set to soar this weekend, many Brits will already be thinking about their weekend getaways and how they'll cope in the sweltering weather.
Whether it's visiting family and friends, or heading to the beach, temperatures of up to 33C are expected to see families hitting the road - bringing a host of other factors for drivers to consider before they get behind the wheel.
Here, Yahoo News UK rounds up some of the top mistakes motorists could make:
As temperatures rise outside, so does the temperature inside your car - including its engine.
Engine oil helps keep your engine at a correct temperature and prevent damage or overheating.
To check your oil levels, make sure your engine is cool enough by leaving it for at least a few hours after it was last driven - if you don't, you risk being burned by hot oil.
Your car's coolant system also helps keep everything in check during warm weather.
As with engine oil, make sure your car is cool before checking levels - there should be markings on the side of the coolant bottle to let you know when it needs topping up.
You should also keep an eye on your car's temperature warning light. If it lights up while driving you should pull over as soon as it's safe to do so and lift the bonnet to cool the engine down to avoid potential damage.
Changes in temperature can cause significant variations in tyre pressure, especially over the British spring and summer and all the varied weather it can bring.
Higher temperatures increase tyre pressure, potentially leaving them over-inflated, which can in turn cause excess wear and tear and even affect braking.
Fortunately, tyre pressure can be easily checked at most petrol stations and tyre shops.
It's also a good idea to keep an eye on your tread depths - the legal minimum is 1.5 millimetres.
Also, loading up for everything you need for a day at the beach can put extra strain on your tyres, so it's helpful to keep a spare or a puncture repair kit.
Decreasing the amount of light entering your car on hot days can make a huge difference not just for your driving comfort (and that of your passengers), but also for making sure you are driving safely.
Sun visors for the driver's and front passenger's seats can reduce the amount of light entering your field of vision, especially on sunny days, which in turn help your eyes adjust more quickly when you enter a patch of shade or an indoor area, such as a multi-storey car park.
Semi-transparent covers can also be bought to cover rear passenger windows, if needed.
When you're not driving, a windscreen shade can also significantly decrease the amount your car heats while when you're not in it.
It is not illegal to drive in the UK without shoes, but you might want to think carefully before you get behind the wheel without any.
According to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the organisation which sets the standards for British driving tests, the most important factor is to be in control of your vehicle - something you may struggle with without shoes or in summer footwear, such as flip flops.
While there are not any types of shoe which are illegal to drive in, anything which affects your ability to control a car could mean you are driving without sufficient care, which can in turn result in fines or other penalties.
The AA recommends soft shoes with thin soles and good grip, such as trainers, loafers and boat shoes.
Just like anything else left in your car on a hot day, child seats and boosters can heat up pretty quickly when left in the sun.
Depending on the design of a car seat, dark plastic components can potentially get very hot, leaving children at risk of burns.
A 2012 report in the Pediatrics & Child Health medical journal revealed the case of an 11-month-old who was taken to hospital with an unexplained burn on his leg which was later found to have been caused by an overheated car seat.
Always check the temperature across the whole of a car seat before strapping your child in and if possible leave it covered while not in use.
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