In hot weather, even a short car ride becomes more strenuous. The car is often already heated up in the sun, children become impatient, drinks warm up quickly, and before a holiday, concentration is not always where it should be anyway. That is precisely why it is worth planning the trip before you even get in.
The Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV) points out that a particularly high number of traffic accidents involving personal injury occur in the summer months. Heat, fatigue, holiday traffic, and unfamiliar routes all come together. For families, this means: it is better to be less spontaneous, plan breaks, and do not use the car as a waiting room.
Before departure: Do not start the car in the sun
If possible, park the car in the shade before the trip or open the doors and trunk for a moment before everyone gets in. The first minute is not for buckling up bags, searching for sunglasses, and sorting out snacks, but for quiet ventilation. Children should only get in once the worst of the trapped heat has escaped.
Drinks, sun hats, sunglasses, wet wipes, small trash bags, a first-aid kit, and light snacks should be kept within reach in the front or in the second row. Anything needed during the trip should not be buried under suitcases in the trunk.
Plan breaks in advance
In hot weather, it makes sense not to wait until everyone is irritable before taking a break. Plan a short interruption every one to two hours; with children, it is better to do it sooner. Shade, a toilet, water, and a few steps are often enough. If you get tired, do not keep driving just because the accommodation is already booked.
Especially on hot days, the driver should drink regularly. Highly sugary drinks often only provide a short boost and become sticky in the car later. Water, unsweetened tea, or diluted juice are more practical. Prepare small bottles for children that they can hold themselves.
Do not leave anything living or sensitive waiting
Children, elderly people, and pets should not be left in a parked car, not even for a short time. The temperature rises quickly, and leaving windows slightly open does not reliably solve the problem. Purchases, medication, sunscreen, batteries, power banks, and some snacks also do not handle heat well.
If a quick shopping trip is planned on the way, an adult should take the children and animals out of the car, or the shopping should be postponed. Items that need cooling should be placed in a cooler bag and taken home or to the refrigerator quickly.
How to keep the trip calmer
- Start early:If possible, use the cooler morning hours.
- Seek shade:When parking, it is better to walk a few meters further if it means the car is in the shade.
- Pack light:Keep water, sun hat, first-aid kit, and charging cables within reach.
- Use air conditioning in moderation:Do not set it to freezing cold; cool it comfortably and do not direct the airflow directly at children.
- De-escalate conflicts:Small games, an audiobook, or a break often help better than driving faster.
React immediately to warning signs
Severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, or noticeable weakness are not trivial matters when it is hot. Stop in a safe place, take the affected person into the shade, offer water, and seek medical help if the condition does not improve quickly or seems serious.
The same applies to the return trip as to the outward journey: it is better to take one extra break, do not start driving overtired immediately after a long day at the pool, and do not leave children or animals in the car.
Read also
- Heat in the car: Why children, animals, and groceries must not wait
- First-aid kit in summer
- Packing the cooler correctly
- Drinking properly in the heat
- Swimming lake with children
- Protecting mobile phones, laptops, and power banks in the heat
Sources and further information
- KFV: Traffic accidents in the hottest months
- KFV: Tips against heat at home
- gesundheit.gv.at: Dealing with heat
- ORF.at: Heat warning level on the weekend
Article image: AI-generated symbolic image.
