Whether your car has any driver car insurance and is used virtually everyday, or is used less often, it is important to remember that the heat of summer can take its toll on any vehicle that is not looked after properly. Add to that the effects that last winter may have had on the vehicle, a breakdown may well be on the cards. However the chances of mechanical failure can be reduced by simple maintenance that anyone can do.

Try to stay on top of the fluids of the vehicle and get the vehicle’s oil changed before it is too late. Remember that most of today’s oils are multi viscous, which means they will get a bit thinner when the temperature gets hotter outside; increasing the chance that the engine will not be getting the right lubrication. The manufacturer’s manual will have a list of the correct oil recommendations for different climates. While the bonnet is up, check the coolant/antifreeze mixture inside your vehicle’s radiator. During extreme summer temperatures, failing to keep coolant levels topped up correctly, a leaking coolant hose or a broken electric cooling fan can all result in overheating along with expensive damage. All the breakdown services say that the biggest cause of a summer breakdown is overheating.

Rotate the cars tyres around every 5,000 miles and check the tyre pressures at least once a month. This will be very helpful during the summer months. And do not forget the spare tyre; also be sure the jack is in good condition. Examine the tyres for tread life and uneven wearing another check is the sidewalls for any nicks/cuts. Brakes should be inspected as soon as any pulsation, grabbing, noises, or larger stopping distances are noticed. A car battery can fail any time of year and the only 100% way to detect a weak battery is with professional equipment.

Summer holiday driving should be a happy experience, but there are dangers that need to be considered. There may be children in the back, who will be doing their best to cause a distraction. The hot sun blazing through the windscreen, or being stuck in a traffic jam caused by what seems like the whole country headed towards the coast can all be a distraction as well. Over 100 million trips are taken within the UK, with the majority being taken during the school six weeks summer holiday period.

One final piece of advice is to make sure that travel sickness remedies are available because no one wants to have poorly children in the back of the car, if this does happen it will make the journey 10 times more difficult. As well as some anti sickness tablets there are other methods which can help keep travel sickness away. Get some acupressure wrist bracelets which have a small plastic button on the inside which puts gentle pressure on acupuncture points. One final good remedy would be to try ginger biscuits, as ginger can be a natural remedy to sickness.