Summer Towing Tips: Avoid Heat Illness, Get Ready for these Common Summer Issues

How to Stay Cool and Safe This Summer

The hot weather that's paired with the summer months adds more difficulty to the towing industry. Not only does the heat provide additional health risks for you, but also for your towing truck and for the vehicles of your customers. Here are some summer towing tips for avoiding heat illnesses and dealing with common summertime towing issues to help you ride out the heat waves.

Safety Tips for You

Working out in the sun provides two big threats for towers: heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Heat Exhaustion
Heat Exhaustion is an illness that occurs through a combination of exposure to high temperatures and dehydration. While not as serious as heat stroke, failing to intervene may lead to more danger from heat related illnesses. 

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Fainting
- Pale skin
- Dizziness

Heat Stroke

If heat exhaustion is left untreated, you may suffer a heat stroke. A heat stroke is a potentially fatal heat related illness that occurs when the body temperature reaches 104 degrees. If you are suffering from a heat stroke, you need medical attention immediately. 

Some symptoms of heat stroke include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Decrease in sweating despite heat
- Muscle cramps
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Seizures
- Unconsciousness

Prevention Tips

While heat related illnesses are scary, protecting yourself from them can be quite easy. The best prevention tip is to stay cool. By wearing lightly colored clothing, taking breaks in cool areas, and drinking fluids frequently, you can stay safe from the dangers of the heat.

Common Reasons for Towing in the Summer 

High temperatures aren't the only danger in the summertime. These are the things you can expect to receive towing calls for this summer:

Battery Failure

Battery Failure occurs often in the summer months because of the inability of the battery to cool down, which is a result of the weather and the heat from the engine. The evaporation of electrolytes occurs at high temperatures and causes internal damage to the battery grids, resulting in battery failure. 

Tire Damage

An increase in temperatures results in added air pressure in tires. When the pressure of an inflated tire increases, the potential for blow-outs increases.

Overheating Vehicles

Poorly maintained cooling systems can fail, resulting in overheated vehicles. If you are called to tow an overheated vehicle, it is wise to carry sorbents in the event of spilled coolants.

Construction Zones

The driving conditions in construction zones are more hazardous because of debris in the road. This debris can cause damage to the vehicle. If you need to tow a vehicle from a construction zone, be wary of the distractions in the surrounding area and the smaller amount of available towing space.

Bad Weather

Storms are more severe in the summer months and can provide dangerous conditions for drivers. Floods, loss of control from hydroplaning, and hail storm damage are all things that can lead to more towing calls.

Lockouts

People spend more time outside in the summer. Because of this, more people lose their keys or lock them inside their vehicles. A locked-out car may need to be towed to a dealership in order to get a replacement key.

If you find you need any parts or service this summer to keep you on the road, East Coast Truck & Trailer Sales is the place to come - choose from our selection of reliable, DOT compliant tow truck parts. Supplying you with the everyday tools you need to get the job done safer and easier is our number one priority. Check out all of our towing parts online or give us a call today at 1-866-490-7278.