With temperatures soaring this summer (tell your car there’s no global warming!), it’s smart to take a few precautionary steps to ensure you don’t unnecessarily damage your vehicle. It will also make for a more pleasant driving experience for you and your family. A little preparation now might make a big difference later.

Try the Shady Side of Life
While this might be all too obvious, it’s still the most important one. Be willing to walk a few extra steps if you see a tree nearby. If you can’t park in the shade, pick the best direction. Don’t point your car in the direction the sun is either rising or setting& it will get too much direct sunlight. Always try to park in the direction where the sun will be shining on your rear window or passenger side for most of the time it will be parked.

Make Your Dashboard Happy
Eliminate some of the heat by purchasing a windshield sunshade that you place on the inside of your windshield when you leave your car. This prevents the sun from beating on your dashboard and steering wheel. Dashboards don’t like the sun or heat. If you don’t cover them, they will fade and crack. Steering wheels, of course, get extremely hot, cause burns to the touch, and cause unsafe driving when you can’t really grip the wheel. There are also removable side window screens, if you have passengers in the rear who want a little relief from the sun on long road trips.

Items you Should Not Have in Your Car
Alright, this is also common sense but which of us (or our kids) have not at some time or another left a candy bar on the seat only to find it a gooey mess when we return?

• Milk and other dairy products
• Anything packaged under pressure, like hair spray or soft drinks
• Tapes, CDs, or DVDs
• Sunscreen in a bottle (towelettes are a better option)
• Crayons, candy, gum, lipstick
• Credit cards or other cards with magnetic strips on plastic
• Cleaning solutions with alcohol or ammonia
• Anything that didn’t have a decent smell before it reached 115 isn’t going to smell any better after it’s been left exposed in direct sunlight all day
• And finally: after shopping, check your trunk carefully to make sure nothing has fallen out of the grocery bags…you really don’t want to find those eggs or that lunch meat a week later

Items You Should Have in Your Car
Common sense says that you should always have a spare tire and a first aid kit. Here are some additional items that you might not think of:

• Extra water, for drinking and for the car.
• Steering wheel cover. A cloth cover (not leather) allows you to comfortably handle the steering wheel after the vehicle has been standing in the sun. Also, place a small towel on a leather seat before you leave the car so you can get in and sit down when you return. If you’ve never had the experience of sitting on leather when you’re wearing shorts, and that car has been outside in 120 degrees for a couple of hours....ouch!
• Snacks, such as granola bars or small bags of crackers.
• Cooler or insulated shopping bag. If you are shopping and you have a bit of time before you can get home, this will keep those frozen items from melting, or that fresh fish safe, before you get there.
• Cell phone, so you can call if you get lost or get into trouble.
• First aid kit. Items you should consider including are ice packs, ace bandages, wrist brace, sunscreen, tweezers, x-acto blade, batteries, and various meds like Benadryl or Motrin.
• Emergency kit. Items you should consider include a flashlight, flares, jumper cables, blanket, extra clothes and gloves, paper towels, and some basic tools like wrenches, a ratchet and sockets, screwdrivers and pliers.

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