Tip Tuesday: Dog vehicle safety during the Summer

Summer is here and it is heating up. Now that we are sort of getting back to “normal” we might be traveling with our pets in the vehicle. There are very important ways to handle having your pet out in the Summer heat. Here are some tips to make sure your dog is safe in your vehicle this Summer. 

First things first, you should never leave your pet alone in your vehicle no matter the circumstances as they can potentially hurt themselves. If you were to leave your dog inside your vehicle, in the heat, there can be many health risks involved. When you turn your vehicle off, the temperature inside can increase 30-50 degrees. So imagine it is 75 degrees outside, it can get to be over 100 degrees inside your vehicle during Summer and hot days. A human should definitely not be left inside let alone an animal. A lot of pet owners believe they can leave their dog inside the vehicle as long as the window is cracked, this is not true. Your dog could suffer from many health issues for being in the hot vehicle for just a few minutes. 

The best practise it to take your dog with you. If you cannot, make sure you have someone with you who can stay in the vehicle with your dog as your vehicle is running. Safe temperatures for leaving your dog inside your vehicle are, above freezing and below 70 degrees. I personally feel more comfortable bringing my dog with me as they are a little anxious and would be afraid if I left them in the car alone. Please refer to the chart below for more information regarding safe temperatures.

All in all, just be responsible when handling your dog in the heat. You are there to protect them and keep them safe at any time of the year. The best practice is to never leave them in any extreme temperature or heat. Care for them as you would want them to care for you. We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope you have a happy and safe Summer with your family and pets! 

How do I defog my windshield in the Summer?

During the Summer months, we typically blast the air conditioning in our vehicles to keep us cool. It’s only on those super nice days we will roll the windows down. Well just because it is Summer time does not mean we are free from fog on our windshields. Fog can accumulate on our windows and windshields with any extreme temperature, too hot, too cold. 

In the Summer the outside temperature is usually hot and the temperature inside our vehicles is cooler. This can cause fog and condensation on your windshield, but it is on the outside. Having fog on the outside of the windshield is an easy fix. If you are using your air conditioning on the coldest temp setting; try switching to a higher temperature setting (in the AC mode) and the fog should dissipate. It is a good idea to move the vents from hitting the windows and windshield directly.. And since the fog is on the outside of the windshield, using your wiper blades can get rid of it as you work on regulating the temperatures inside. 

We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope these tips help you this Summer when battling fog. Have a safe and happy Summer season! 

Will the sun damage the paint on my car?

As we know, the sun can be harmful to human skin, so we use sunscreen or wear a hat to protect ourselves. The sun’s rays can also be harmful to your vehicle’s paint. Over time, the paint will fade or oxidize from the sun beating on it. Since we protect our skin, we should also protect our vehicle’s paint. 

If it is possible, an easy and simple way to protect your vehicle from sun damage is to park it in the garage. If you do not have a garage, you can try to park your vehicle in an area that is mostly shade on your driveway. Other ways you can protect your vehicle’s paint is by washing it regularly and using wax. By washing your vehicle often you are cleaning off any harmful contaminants like bird poop, salt, and grime. Having a dirty vehicle accelerates sun damage. Applying wax on your vehicle helps stop pollutants from adhering to your paint, thus aiding in sun protection. 

We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope this information helps as you protect your vehicle this Summer!

What do I do if my car is hydroplaning?

Have you ever felt like you skidded while driving on a wet surface? If so, you most likely experienced hydroplaning.

Hydroplaning is uncontrollable sliding on a wet surface. Basically your tires have lost their grip on the road and encountered more water than they can scatter. 

Hydroplaning occurs from a combination of standing water on the road, car speed and under inflated or worn tires. It can cause some very undesirable, and sometimes dangerous situations. You could lose control of your vehicle and your steering ability causing your vehicle to turn sideways, veer off into other lanes, or off the road completely. The first 10 minutes of a light rain can be the most dangerous time for hydroplaning. The light rain mixes with oil residue on the road surface and creates slippery conditions that can cause vehicles to hydroplane. Especially vehicles traveling over 35 miles per hour. 

How to handle your vehicle when hydroplaning:

1. Remain calm and slow down. Avoid the natural urge to slam on your brakes.
2. Use a light pumping action on the pedal if you need to brake. If you have anti-lock brakes, you can brake normally.
3. Once you've regained control of your car, take a minute or two to calm yourself down.

The following are important tips to avoid hydroplaning:

• Keep your tires properly inflated
• Rotate and replace tires when necessary
• Slow down when roads are wet: the faster you drive, the harder it is for your tires to scatter the water
• Stay away from puddles and standing water
• Avoid driving in outer lanes where water tends to accumulate
• Try to drive in the tire tracks left by the cars in front of you
• Turn off cruise control
• Drive in a lower gear
• Avoid hard braking
• Try not to make sharp or quick turns

The best defense against hydroplaning is to make sure you have good tires and to maintain them properly. Have your tire’s tread depth and air pressure checked on a regular basis as well as rotating them during each oil change.

Am I safe in my car during a lightning storm?

Yesterday New Jersey experienced a very wicked storm. It was actually a cluster of thunderstorms called a derecho. These types of storms are very rare and can produce a lot of damage. The storm had buckets of rain, thunder, lightning, and crazy wind. If you happened to be driving during the storm, you might have been worried if you were safe in your vehicle. As a kid I was told that you were safe in your vehicle during lighting because of the rubber tires. Well that is not exactly the reason. 

If lightning strikes and you are in your vehicle, you are not protected because of your tires, they act more of a conductor than an insulator. You are safe because the lightning will travel around your vehicle and then strike the ground. In this instance your vehicle is acting like a Faraday Cage. This was a discovery found by Michael Faraday. He found out that items inside a metal cage that was struck by a strong electrical current, were unharmed. So your vehicle, being mostly made from metal, will act as a conductor; the lightning will be safely discharged to the ground. 

If you would like to read more about lightning safety, please check out the article here.