Three tricks to quickly cool your car during the hottest days
High temperatures are a very important risk factor when driving.
Summer is here, and with it, the hottest months of the year. Getting into your car after parking it in direct sunlight can be a real nightmare for its occupants, and running the cooling system at full power isn't enough to quickly acclimatize the interior.
According to the DGT (Directorate General of Traffic), the optimal driving temperature is between 22 and 24 degrees Celsius (72 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit), and driving at temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) has a similar effect to driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.5 g/l (BAC). This means that heat can directly impact road safety and the likelihood of traffic accidents.
Three tricks to quickly cool down your car
There are several methods to quickly and effectively circulate and expel hot air from the passenger compartment. This is known as the Japanese method, a simple and effective technique. Simply roll down the passenger door window and open and close the driver's door repeatedly, creating a fan-like effect that expels excess hot air from the passenger compartment.
A second method, less effective than the first, consists of opening and closing the driver's window about ten times to achieve the same effect of expelling hot air from the passenger compartment and cooling its interior.
A third method that will cool the vehicle once it's moving is to turn on the air conditioning at low power for the first few meters and drive with all the windows down. Once we gain speed and power, we can raise the windows and set the air conditioning unit to a higher power setting. Finally, it's advisable to point or direct the air conditioning vents toward the roof of the car, as hot air weighs less than cold air, and this way it can cool the car more effectively. Once the vehicle is cold, we can activate the air conditioning recirculation system and minimize the effort of cooling the outside air, thus improving fuel savings.
Beyond these three methods, it's important to remember to soak the vehicle's body with fresh water before driving, try to park in the shade as much as possible, and use covers for the steering wheel and child seats.
