Heat drives up tire temperature and air pressure and raises the risk of a blowout, so on hot days stop about every two hours or 100 miles to look the tires over. Check inflation and mounting, and never release air from a tire that is hot.
Heat makes tire pressure rise, so bleeding off air would leave the tires underinflated once they cool. Stay stopped until they cool down to avoid a blowout or a tire fire.
Wipers caked with ice leave you unable to see the road properly, and neither the defroster nor washer fluid will reliably free them while you keep moving. Find a safe place to stop and remove the ice before you go on.
Learning to fit chains for the first time on a cold, snowy roadside is slow and leaves you exposed to passing traffic, so practice ahead of time. Also carry chains that fit your drive tires plus extra cross-links, and check them for broken hooks or worn links before winter trips.
Air pressure naturally rises as a tire heats up, so a high reading on a hot tire is expected. Letting air out would leave the tire too soft once it cools, and if a tire is hot enough that you cannot touch it, stay stopped until it cools so it does not burst or catch fire.
Inside a tunnel the vehicle is sheltered from the wind, so a gust can hit it suddenly and shove it sideways the moment it comes out; be ready to steer against it.
Gusty crosswinds can shove a vehicle out of its lane, and lighter vehicles are affected the most. A firm grip helps you hold your position, while slowing down or pulling off to wait it out reduces the wind's effect; speeding up only makes control harder.
Inside a tunnel you are sheltered, so a crosswind can strike suddenly and hard the moment you drive out; slow down and keep a firm grip. Light or empty vehicles get pushed around more by wind, and riding beside other vehicles leaves no margin if a gust shoves you sideways.
Heat drives tire pressure up and makes a blowout more likely, so on very hot days stop and inspect the tires every 100 miles or two hours. If a tire feels too hot to touch, stay stopped until it cools, or it may blow out or catch fire.
A hot cooling system is under pressure, so removing the cap can release scalding steam and coolant that cause serious burns; let it cool first. An overheating engine is a reason to stop as soon as it is safe, not to keep going until the trip is over.
A hot cooling system is under pressure, and opening it can blast scalding steam and coolant at you. Wait until the engine has cooled all the way before removing the cap, even if the gauge no longer shows overheating.
Tip A good rule is to leave the cap closed until it is cool enough to touch safely with your bare hand.
Ordinary water or summer washer fluid can freeze on the glass and block your view, so winter fluid with antifreeze is needed. An engine can still overheat in the cold, for example if the radiator shutters freeze shut or the winterfront is closed too far, and exhaust leaks are more dangerous in winter because the cab is usually closed up.
Every question in this set has its own page with the correct answer and an explanation.
