How to drive safe in extreme heat this summer
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Extreme heat can cause wear and tear on your vehicles. AAA Texas provides some useful tips to take care of your car this summer.
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Meteorologist Tommy House sat down with Daniel Armbruster to learn more.
Meteorologist Tommy House: I want to talk about how drivers can be safe and prepared during the extreme heat that we will face this summer. Let's start with things like batteries, coolants and tire pressure. What is some advice that you can give to drivers?
Daniel Armbruster: The summer heat really does a number on our car battery. Heat and vibration are actually a car battery's worst enemies. So the extreme heat we see in Central Texas can really shorten the life of your car battery. If your battery is over three years old, you really want to get it checked by a trusted mechanic before you take off on any road trip. We're expecting record travel this summer, so a lot of people are taking road trips.
So you really want to think about the life of that battery. The average life is three to five years. So if your battery is over three years old, go ahead and have that trusted mechanic take a look at it. Also, overheated vehicles due to low coolant are the top roadside emergency we see during summertime. So making sure that you have enough coolant in your radiator and that you can cool the engine as it's performing is also important.
And then, you know, we think about tires. Flat tires are another top roadside emergency we see during the summertime. Certainly, when you're driving on hot pavement on under-inflated tires, or even over-inflated tires, that can be dangerous and make it harder to control your vehicle.
House: What are some programs that AAA Texas can offer to drivers if they need roadside assistance?
Armbruster: Well, obviously, we've been around for 125 years. We're known for our roadside assistance and legendary service, but AAA also offers a free community program called Approved Auto Repair. You can go to AAA.com/Repair and look for a trusted mechanic near you. These are shops that have been inspected by AAA to ensure not only great customer service, but also that they have the right technicians and equipment to service today’s modern vehicles.