Hot weather warning ALL drivers must read

Although very welcome, the recent hot weather in the UK has also highlighted problems for drivers that apply wherever they may live.

On Saturday, May 27, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Services (NFRS) were called out to a car fire caused by a seemingly harmless object left on the dashboard, according to West Bridgeford Wire.

While Spain has recently experienced extreme weather of a different kind, the UK has had exceptionally hot weather which has led to problems, not least for one unfortunate driver in Nottingham.

Emergency services were called out to a car fire that had been caused by sunglasses left on the dashboard, leading the NFRS to issue a warning to all drivers.

The day in question had seen an afternoon, with consistent temperatures of 21 degrees Celsius, and according to the Met Office it is likely to continue throughout next week.

A spokesperson commented on Twitter: ‘The sun has been strong but beware this can cause fire. Earlier we attended a fire caused by sunglasses left on the dashboard.’

The tweet concluded with a timely reminder for all drivers: ‘Make sure you keep reflective objects out of direct sunlight.’

Another safety measure is making sure tyre pressures are properly checked. In hot weather, under-inflated tyres are more prone to overheating which dramatically increases the risk of a blowout, not something to be recommended while negotiating a windy mountain road.

Other tips for keeping cool in your car include parking smart when away from home by looking for natural shade if you can or using a light-coloured towel or blanket over the dashboard and seats.

If you do happen to get into a car that feels like an oven, you can manually pump out the hot air. Open one window and then go around to the other side and open and close the door several times. This pumps out the hot air, so when you jump in to set off it is a little more bearable.

Maximise the effects of the air con by pointing the vents towards the roof of the car, on full blast, and with the rear windows of the car open to push out the hot air.

Another more unusual driving hack from Shell for cars without air-con is to put a wet cloth over the car’s air vents which will cool the air as it comes through.