Although we live in a city where we don’t have to worry about hazardous driving conditions associated with icy roads, snow, and slush, there are dangers associated with driving in hot climates that we often overlook.  Also, as some of you may have experienced before, our valley has been prone to floods, which although mild, can be life-threatening on our roads.  Below are some tips I pulled from some Web sites that explain how to maintain your vehicle and avoid dangerous situations related to driving in desert climates.

·      When driving in hot weather, keep an eye on the lights and gauges.  If your temperature gauge moves up, turn off your air conditioner and turn on the heater to its highest and hottest setting, as it will help draw some of the heat away from the engine.  If the temperature light goes on or if the gauge enters the red zone, immediately pull off the road to a safe spot, well away from traffic. Do not drive any further — not even to the next exit. Driving with an overheated engine can cause serious damage to the engine.* 

·       If your vehicle overheats, do not attempt to remove the radiator cap itself. The hot pressurized coolant will spray out with great force. Do not pour water over the radiator or engine, since a dramatic change in temperature could cause damage. After the engine cools, add a 50-50 mix of coolant and water to the reservoir to bring it up to its proper level. * 

·       Avoid road rage by staying cool.  Take along moist towelettes and water to refresh yourself and stop to stretch and relax during long trips.* 

·       July and August are the beginning of monsoon season.  Las Vegas gets very little rainfall but a little tends to bring up some of the oil on the streets which makes driving treacherous.*  Slow down to accommodate rainy weather and double the amount of space that you would regularly place between you and other drivers. Also, during and after heavy rainfalls, avoid areas of town where there are dips in the road—as they can fill with pools of water, which may be deep enough to entrench your car.   

·       And of course, NEVER leave a child or pet in a parked car. Even an outside temperature in the 80s can quickly bring a car interior to lethal levels.* 

*Info pulled from www.roadandtravel.com and las-vegas-hotels-tripadvisor.com

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 at 5:19 pm and is filed under Car Accidents, Personal Injury. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.