The RAC urges drivers to check their vehicles before setting out in the heat

With drivers facing very high temperatures in some parts of the UK this afternoon, RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said:

“The sweltering heat is going to inevitably lead to some softer road surfaces – if you see some blacker patches of road (or pavement), that’s how you can tell it’s starting to melt.

“It also means that drivers might start to see something that they’d normally only associate with the depths of winter – gritting trucks, as salt can help improve the grip on roads that are starting melt.

“We see a variety of other breakdowns occurring with the hot weather too, perhaps as a result of drivers getting hot under the collar. We’ve seen increases in the number of drivers misfuelling – putting petrol in a diesel engine, or vice-versa – as well as those running out of fuel in recent days, and perhaps less surprisingly a big jump in the number of problems drivers are having with convertible roofs.

“We really cannot stress enough the importance of drivers checking their car is ready for the hot weather before setting out, especially if they are travelling a long distance – perhaps as part of a summer getaway. Checking thing like fuel and oil levels, and ensuring tyres are pumped up properly and have plenty of tread, can go a long way towards preventing getting stuck at the side of the road in the heat.”