Heatwave causes surge in vehicle breakdowns because of hot tyres
The RAC said it received 10% more callouts between Monday and Thursday compared with the same period last week.
Parts of the UK have seen temperatures above 30C in recent days.
On Friday, highs of 30C are predicted in London, while Cardiff will only be slightly cooler at 29C.
The weekend is expected to be dry and sunny for most parts of the UK at around 30C on Saturday and 29C on Sunday in south-west England.
RAC breakdown spokeswoman Alice Simpson said: 'With the extreme heat expected to continue into the weekend, we're warning drivers to take every precaution possible to avoid getting stranded at the side of the road.
'We've already seen a 10% increase in breakdowns this week with faulty tyres being the main cause.
'When temperatures rise, the heat of the air inside tyres does the same, so it's especially important to check the pressure and condition before a long journey.
'This is especially crucial if your car is parked on the street – rather than in a garage – where it's directly exposed to the sun.
'Anyone heading to a beach or a coastal location should also prepare for the conditions by checking their vehicle's coolant level in advance.'
Heat health alerts have been extended into next week for much of England.
The UK Health Security Agency said yellow warnings will remain in place for Yorkshire and the Humber, the East and West Midlands, London and the South East, the South West and the east of England until 6pm on August 18.
Officials have said the country is suffering from 'nationally significant' water shortfalls.
The National Drought Group, which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies and other organisations, has met as five areas of the country remain in drought, with six more in prolonged dry weather status.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Fire service receiving multiple calls from people reporting smoke in York
People living more than 30 miles from a large moor fire have reported being affected by the smoke and been advised to keep their windows closed. Firefighters have been battling a blaze on the North York Moors, close to the RAF Fylingdales early warning station, since Monday, and they said on Friday that the smoke appeared to have reached York. At its height, 20 pumps were at the scene and a helicopter was used to try to control the blaze, as the fire service declared a major incident. On Friday, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said nine crews were continuing to tackle the blaze, plus another two dealing with a separate outbreak close to the A171 Scarborough to Whitby road, which had to be closed at one point. The service said on Friday: 'We have nine fire engines at the incident on Langdale Moor. 'We're getting a lot of calls reporting smoke in and around York which we believe may be from this incident. 'We continue to advise people to keep their doors and windows shut if they are impacted by smoke. RECOMMENDED READING: Smoke from Langdale fire spreads across York and Malton 'We also have two fire engines at the incident on the A171 near the Flask Inn.' There were also reports of people in the Malton area being affected by the smoke from the moor fire, 15 miles to the north. The blaze covered an area of more than two square miles at its height. This included an area which is on an old range and an Army explosive ordnance disposal team was called to the scene because of munitions in the area. The fire service said earlier this week: 'We have precautions in place for our crews at the scene, but people may hear explosions.' It said on Thursday that it did not know the cause of the fire. Firefighters also thanked people for their donations of water, other drinks and snacks which have been delivered to their base in the village of Goathland.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
All drivers with leather seats in their cars told to act before Sunday
Drivers have been told to put a towel in their cars before Sunday - as the hot weather returns to Birmingham bringing with it highs in the high-20s this weekend. Sunday, August 17 could see 26C highs in the West Midlands, the Met Office has said. And the RAC has issued some handy advice for any road users thinking of heading out this weekend. Motorists and drivers can cool down their upholstery in their motors by using a towel trick, the roadside recovery experts say. "Most modern car cabins are blacker than a coal mine, and that's bad news for keeping cool," they say. READ MORE: Four new UK parking rules kick in on Monday with £100 fines for drivers READ MORE: Drivers resting arm on open window could be fined £5,000 in UK crackdown READ MORE HMRC rule change for all UK households born after 1960 "Leather seats, in particular, can get uncomfortably hot and sticky – and may degrade and crack if regularly exposed to heat. Fitting light-coloured seat covers is one solution, or you could opt for lighter upholstery in the first place." "As a temporary measure, a towel spread over the seat will help keep you cool," says the RAC. "Cover exposed metal on the seats, such as seat belt buckles and child car seat harness fittings." Car Supermarket advised: "All this begs the question: are British cars and roads built for this kind of heat? The short answer is... not really. "Our infrastructure is designed more for drizzle than sizzle. Roads can start to melt in extreme heat, and many older cars struggle with cooling systems that aren't up to the task of battling 30+ degree temperatures. "Even our newer vehicles, while better equipped, aren't typically designed with Death Valley in mind. Air conditioning systems can struggle, and the dark interiors favoured by many UK car buyers become heat traps in intense sunshine." A Met Office forecast states: "Fine on Sunday with plenty of sunshine developing. Often dry early next week, but showers or thunderstorms are possible, mainly on Monday. Staying very warm with generally light winds."
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Heatwave causes surge in vehicle breakdowns because of hot tyres
Hot tyres failing have sparked a surge in vehicle breakdowns as high temperatures continue. The RAC said it received 10% more callouts between Monday and Thursday compared with the same period last week. Parts of the UK have seen temperatures above 30C in recent days. On Friday, highs of 30C are predicted in London, while Cardiff will only be slightly cooler at 29C. The weekend is expected to be dry and sunny for most parts of the UK at around 30C on Saturday and 29C on Sunday in south-west England. RAC breakdown spokeswoman Alice Simpson said: 'With the extreme heat expected to continue into the weekend, we're warning drivers to take every precaution possible to avoid getting stranded at the side of the road. 'We've already seen a 10% increase in breakdowns this week with faulty tyres being the main cause. 'When temperatures rise, the heat of the air inside tyres does the same, so it's especially important to check the pressure and condition before a long journey. 'This is especially crucial if your car is parked on the street – rather than in a garage – where it's directly exposed to the sun. 'Anyone heading to a beach or a coastal location should also prepare for the conditions by checking their vehicle's coolant level in advance.' Heat health alerts have been extended into next week for much of England. The UK Health Security Agency said yellow warnings will remain in place for Yorkshire and the Humber, the East and West Midlands, London and the South East, the South West and the east of England until 6pm on August 18. Officials have said the country is suffering from 'nationally significant' water shortfalls. The National Drought Group, which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies and other organisations, has met as five areas of the country remain in drought, with six more in prolonged dry weather status.
