Summer Driving Tips

Summer Driving Tips

The experts are guessing about what will be happening on our nation's roads this summer. Gas prices have stabilized, and appear to be on a slight decline as the season officially approaches. At the same time, airline ticket prices are on the rise. The confluence of these two events should point toward more summer driving -- but the uncertainty in the economy has many families sticking closer to home. One thing is for sure: Summer driving is fraught with challenges. We've put together a few Summer Driving Tips designed to make your time behind the wheel a little more efficient, safer and maybe more fun.

Pay Attention To Your Tires.

Pay attention to your tires. Under inflation can cost you fuel economy, and it's also a safety hazard. Check your tire pressure before you begin your driving day to get a cold pressure reading. Resist the impulse to bleed air from your tires on a hot drive -- pressure build up is normal.

Avoid Texting And Driving.

If you're going to cross state lines or drive in an unfamiliar area, check the laws on cellphones, texting and hands-free phones while driving before you leave. The phone company Motorola maintains an interactive map of hands-free laws in the United States on their website (http://www.motorola.com/handsfreelaw).

Learn The Seat Belt Laws.

Seat belt and child restraint laws differ from state to state, too. Check the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's site (http://www.iihs.org/laws/SafetyBeltUse.aspx) for the specifics in the fifty states.

Use A Radiator Coolant Additive.

If you're going to be towing or subjecting your car to particularly heavy loads, consider using a radiator coolant additive like Royal Purple's Purple Ice (http://www.royalpurple.com/product-categories/automotive/#!purple-ice-radiator-coolant-additive) or WaterWetter from Redline Synthetic Oil (http://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=10). Making the antifreeze more efficient lowers the temperature, and can help avoid overheating.

Lighten Your Load.

Lighten your load before you hit the road. When you take a road trip, you're likely to add hundreds of pounds of gear, luggage and passengers to your car's normal load. This will affect fuel economy and handling. Plan ahead, and remove all of the unnecessary junk from your trunk before you head out. And take a good look at what you're bringing along to pare down the payload.

Avoid Using The Roof Rack.

A loaded roof rack may seem like a good idea for a summer trip, but save it for a last resort. Loading up your roof rack will make your vehicle less aerodynamic, which will have a serious effect on fuel economy. It will also raise the center of gravity of your loaded vehicle, which will make you more vulnerable to rollover. And never, ever put your dog on the roof rack, no matter what kind of carrier you're using.

Bring Water And First Aid Supplies.

Don't leave the water behind, especially if you're traveling in the heat. Bring emergency water and first aid supplies with you on your road trip, and hopefully you'll never need them.

Put A Stop To Idling.

Traffic jams are inevitable in the summer. Shutting off your ignition when your car is going to be at a standstill for more than 30 seconds will save gas, reduce emissions and help avoid overheating. The potential cost of wear on your engine will be more than offset by the savings in fuel costs.

Keep Kids, Pets And Chocolate Safe.

Don't leave kids, pets or chocolate bars in a sealed car on a hot day. According to the Weather Channel, after 60 minutes on a 90 degree day, the interior of a sealed car can easily reach 138 degrees -- hot enough to cause heat exhaustion, heat stroke or melting. The best rule is to never leave your kids, your pets or your chocolate in the car in summer, even with the windows open.

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