Summer Driving Safety Tips in Arizona

Things are heating up quickly here in sunny Arizona. Whether you’re off in search of cooler climates or looking for local escapes from the heat, you’ll need to take extra precautions whenever you’re out on the road.

Follow these safety tips to ensure you stay safe while driving this summer. 

WATCH YOUR TIRE PRESSURE

Maintaining the right tire pressure is important year round, but in the summer, poorly inflated tires can become especially dangerous. Pavement, especially black pavement, can heat up to very high temperatures. If your tires are underinflated, the heat can cause unusually high amounts of friction and, as a result, wear down your tires faster or even cause a complete blowout.

MONITOR YOUR VEHICLE’S FLUIDS

We aren’t the only ones that need to stay hydrated in the intense Arizona heat. Your car also needs fluids to function properly. While you should always keep an eye on all fluid levels, during the summer, you want to pay extra close attention to your vehicle’s coolant fluid, which is responsible for cooling the engine in extreme temperatures.  

BRING A SAFETY KIT

Whether caused by a tire blowout or overheated engine, you don’t want to find yourself out in the Arizona heat with a broken-down car. However, if you do end up in that situation, you want to be prepared. Put together an emergency kit full of the essentials you might need if you were to get stranded. Here are just some of the items you should include.

  • A phone charger 
  • Bottled water
  • Non-perishable food items
  • Jumper cables
  • A flashlight with spare batteries 
  • A first aid kit
  • Blankets
  • An inflated spare tire

CHECK THE WEATHER IN ADVANCE

Despite the state’s reputation, Arizona isn’t all sunshine. Monsoons and dust storms are a common occurrence, especially during the summer months. You don’t want to be driving during one of these storms in the first place, but if you do happen to be out on the road, safely pull over to a safe location as soon as possible where you can wait out the weather conditions.  

TAKE CARE OF YOUR EYES

If you haven’t invested in a good pair of sunglasses, the summer is the time to do it. With the sun in full force, you want to protect your eyes from strong sun glares. These glares can be the most dangerous in the morning and evening. Not only do you lose some visibility, but you risk doing real damage to your eyes. 

BE AWARE OF SUMMER HOLIDAYS

July 4th is Independence Day. It’s also one of the deadliest driving days of the year. In 2019, 38% of all fatalities during the holiday period were due to impaired driving—more than any other major holiday. This year, you’ll need to stay even more alert. July 4th falls on a Monday, which means people are likely to start celebrating on Friday. That’s four whole days of increased drinking and driving. 

AVOID SUMMER DRIVING DISTRACTIONS

You don’t need to be out celebrating to encounter summer driving dangers. With friends and families everywhere hitting the roads for vacation, you’re more likely to run into distracted drivers, especially over the weekends. As you drive, keep your defensive driving skills on high alert. 

Stay safe this summer and all year long when you take a Stop and Go driving course, where you’ll get the safety tips and driving skills you need to safely navigate the roads—no matter what month it is. Contact us today to learn more.