Summer Driving Tips

The blog this week is about essential summer driving tips to keep you safe and fully prepared on the roads this summer in your Volvo or Toyota. Everyone is trying to save money at the moment, interest rates are rising, fuel bills are rising, food costs are soaring, insurance costs are rising etc so when it comes to owning a car, we need all the help we can get to keep costs down. Read on to find out more:

1. Before you start your journey – whether it’s a trip to the beach, a camping holiday, off on a road trip to Europe or just taking the kids out during the next few weeks that they have off school make sure that all your fluids are topped up. These include your coolant – essential should you find yourself sitting in a traffic jam on the way to the beach in this incredibly hot weather that we have been experiencing. Ensure that your windscreen wiper bottle is topped up along with your oil and brake fluid. Carry some spare in the boot.
   
   
2. Try and park your Volvo or Toyota in the shade if you can, to keep your internal car temperatures down. If your car is hot when you return to it, open all the doors to let the heat out and then
   start the engine and put the ac on to cool it down before embarking on your journey. No one wants to sit on leather seats in shorts! It goes without saying – NEVER leave a pet in the car – not even for 10 minutes!!!!
   
   
3. Carry plenty of water/soft drinks in your car for yourself and your passengers. Freeze a couple of 1 ½ litre bottles of water and put them in a cool bag in your boot along with your soft drinks to keep them cool for longer – do not drink water that has been sitting in your car in the sun. Sitting in traffic jams without essential fluids will make the journey even more unbearable.
   
   
4. Carry some sun lotion in the car – having to sit at the side of the road in the event of a breakdown could expose you to the sun and potential sun burn whilst waiting for the recovery vehicle. Also make sure that you have some sun-glasses to hand – the sun can be incredibly blinding during your journey.
   
   
5. Be careful when taking any allergy medication – always read the labels before driving as some do make you feel drowsy. Ensure that your pollen filters are changed regularly – this should happen if you have your Volvo or Toyota serviced regularly at your local independent garage. A clean pollen filter helps to keep the air that is coming into your vehicle pollen free.
   
   
6. Ensure that your wiper blades are in good condition and your windscreen is clean inside and out to reduce sun glare. As already stated in the topping up of fluids – make sure that your washer bottle is topped up – long journeys increase the risk of bug splatter on your windscreen.
7. If a heavy rain shower occurs, please do be mindful of the road conditions and adapt your driving – fresh rainfall on roads that haven’t seen much rain will be incredibly slippery. Ensure that your tyres are in optimal health also – inflated correctly and have sufficient tyre tread. If you are in any doubt about your tyres please take your Volvo or Toyota to your local independent garage for further inspection.
   
   
8. Keep an eye out for cyclists and motorcyclists – with this good weather more and more people take to the roads on two wheels. Also be mindful of those towing caravans and give them plenty of room. Along with those on horses – reduce your speed so you do not spook a horse. Slow down on country roads – less haste! Happy Safe Motoring Folks!

Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire