Road trips are an American classic, but in Arizona as summer approaches and temperatures swell, warm weather can turn dangerous quickly, especially when stranded along a rural stretch of highway.
The Arizona heat can cause unexpected car problems, such as flat tires and dead batteries.
Doug Johnson, a spokesperson for AAA Arizona, said he usually recommends staying in your vehicle during roadside breakdowns. But in Arizona, travelers should be aware of what’s called the oven effect during a roadside breakdown.
“If the AC is off, a car can reach lethal temperatures in minutes here in Arizona,” Johnson said.
Johnson said it can get up to 30 degrees warmer inside a car with the windows up.
“Get out of your car and find some shade,” Johnson said. “It's going to be much cooler than waiting in your car if it's in direct sunlight.”
Johnson said if possible, pull over into the shade during an emergency so your car is not baking in direct sunlight.
Roadside breakdowns can happen unexpectedly to anyone at any time.
Kelsey Mo, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Transportation, said the best way to ensure roadside safety is to check to make sure that your vehicle is in good working order before you head out.
“Checking out your vehicle's battery, making sure AC is working, and looking at the tire pressure to ensure that you're at an optimal level to reduce the chance of a blowout,” Mo said.
But even vehicles in good condition can experience issues due to the heat.
“You're not going to get as good of mileage in EVs or in gas cars when it's extremely hot,” Johnson said.
According to a release from AAA, vehicles lose performance and efficiency when the temperature exceeds 95 degrees, due to cabin cooling and thermal management. Hybrids can experience a 12% decrease in fuel efficiency. EV drivers can see an 8.5% drop in range compared to moderate temperatures.
As a result, drivers could run out of fuel or power more quickly than they anticipated, leaving them stranded on the side of the road.
But Johnson said heat is not the only safety concern drivers face in the summertime.
Johnson said around one-third of fatal crashes involving impaired or teen drivers happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
“We used to call it the ‘100 deadliest days of driving’, but that was a little too morbid, so they've rebranded it to be a little more positive,” Johnson said.
Johnson said drinking holidays like the Fourth of July increase incidents of driving under the influence.
And during the summer, he said there are more teen drivers on the road.
“You have more families traveling, taking more road trips, so you have just an increase in traffic,” Johnson said. “School's out, people want to get out there on the road, they want to enjoy the nice weather, the warmer weather.”
Mo said drivers should be prepared for the worst case scenario.
“Drivers should pack an emergency travel kit in case you run into an unexpected delay,” Mo said. “That kit should include things like lots of water, healthy snacks, a fully charged cellphone, sun protection, a first aid kit and like prescription medication.”
Mo said if you find yourself in an emergency situation, the best thing to do is dial 911.
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