Hot weather update from RAC patrols - Wednesday 2 July 2015
The hottest day of the year meant disrupted journeys for many motorists, with the RAC attending a third more cooling system-related breakdowns compared to the previous day.
RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “The hottest July day on record brought with it a rise in the number of breakdowns, with a 71% increase in thermostat-related breakdowns and a 64% increase in cooling fan problems compared to Tuesday, which was itself a very hot day. Misfuels – where motorists accidently fill a petrol vehicle with diesel or vice versa – also remained at a similar, high level to Tuesday.
“There was no hiding from the heatwave as we also received reports of roads suffering from the effects of the heat. Our patrol Alan Downie in Bournemouth informed us that there were tyre tracks imprinted into the tarmac on the B3070 in Bournemouth, and over in Clevedon, our patrol Ryan Guy confirmed a road temperature reading of over 44C.
“What is particularly concerning to see is that the amount of vehicle fires doubled, the causes of which are still unknown. We are reminding all motorists to be extra alert during this particularly warm spell, which is set to return to some parts of the country tomorrow.”
The top three increases in RAC breakdowns on hottest 1 July compared to 30 June were:
- Thermostat problems (71% increase)
- Vehicle fire problems (50% increase)
- Cylinder head gasket problems (33% increase)
