Tips and tools for safe summer driving
1st Aug 2019
If you’re setting off on a summer staycation or even planning a road trip across Europe in your car, there are few simple steps to ensure your vehicle is fully prepared for the journey. So, with the summer holidays in full swing here are few tips and tools to help you.
Check your tyre pressure
Under inflated tyres can be a serious safety hazard, negatively affecting your vehicle’s stopping distances. And if you’re adding extra weight to the car with suitcases and the whole family onboard, you may need to add some air to your tyres. Check your vehicle’s tyre pressure values and make sure you’ve inflated to the higher PSI figure. Be careful not over inflate though as this can increase the risk of high-speed blow-outs – definitely not something you want to deal with on a holiday! There are a number of handy tools to help you check your tyre pressure available from Draper Tools. The Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge is easy-to-use and read with an LCD display and auto shut off feature. See the full range of tyre pressure gauges here.
Check your tread depth
While you're looking at your tyre pressure, it’s also a good idea to check the tread depth before setting off on a long journey. Worn tyres are another serious safety hazard, so it’s a check that’s well worth doing to help prevent accidents. While the legal limit for tyre tread depth is 1.6mm, many experts actually recommend a minimum tread depth of 3mm to be safe. Tyres with a tread depth of less than 3mm have been shown to significantly increase you stopping distances – and this is only made worse in wet conditions. For an accurate reading you can put your trust in the award-winning Draper Expert Digital Tyre Tread Depth Gauge.
For a handy all round kit, there is also the Draper Tools 3 Piece Tyre Service Kit comprising of Tyre Tread Depth Gauge, Tyre Pressure Gauge and Tyre Valve Repair Tool.
Be aware of batteries issues
Traditionally winter is known as a bad time for car battery issues but according to the RAC, batteries are the number one cause on the list for summer breakdowns. Extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold can be bad for your car and its battery. If you’re unlucky enough to experience a flat battery it can really ruin your holiday plans. To help out in these emergency situations, Draper Tools offers a 12V Heavy Duty Portable Power Pack, suitable for petrol vehicles up to 3000cc and diesel vehicles up to 2400cc. It features heavy duty booster cables with insulated jaws and a DC power socket allowing the running of 12V/DC accessories to a maximum current of 15A. It’s well worth keeping one in the car just in case of a flat battery.
There’s plenty more advice for safe summer driving available online from organisations such as the RAC and TyreSafe. You can also browse more vehicle safety essentials and automotive tools on the Draper website.
