Driving down the road on a hot, fun-filled, gorgeous day may be precisely what you think of as #SummerGoals — but that vision will get a little less enticing if you end up with a flat tire or run out of fuel and get stuck on the side of the road.   

Then those Instagram-friendly summer rays will feel anything but nice. So this summer, enjoy the warmer weather but don’t let it get too hot to handle either.   

Bolster your Year-Long Car Emergency Kit with these extra summer essentials: 

You may not think of filling up as ‘packing’ per se, but it’s pretty essential to have in your car at all times. And just like any season, you wouldn’t want to play that game where you see just how close to ‘Empty’ you can get before pulling into a gas station to fuel up.   

To get all technical, hot weather can actually increase fuel economy a bit … but that only goes so far. If you’re all out blasting your A/C, or cranking the volume up on your tunes, you’re going to eat up your fuel. And quick.  

So any time you pull out of the driveway or pass a gas station, check your fuel levels. Continue to sporadically gauge where you are throughout your ride and fill up when you get to half empty (or half full, however you prefer to view it).    

If you’re driving on a wide-open or rural road where you may not pass many gas stations, make sure you fill up each time.   

PRO TIP: Looking to save some cash while filling up? Check out our blog on 9 Surprising Hacks to Save Money at the Gas Station for tips on time of day and more.

Sometimes it’s good to give a little shade. Especially if you’re stuck on the side of the road in the middle of a scorching hot day.  

Think about it: a windshield basically acts like a magnifying glass. Use your shade to help block some of the sun’s rays (it won’t eliminate the heat entirely, but it’ll help). 

It should also help keep your steering wheel, seat buckles, and any other metallic object in the car from feeling like it was touched directly by the sun.  

PRO TIP: When you’re not driving, you can cover your steering wheel and dashboard with a little towel as well to keep these areas from getting too hot. 

Summer isn’t only about bringing the heat, the hotter weather also brings the rain. You should always have an umbrella (and/or rain poncho) stashed in your trunk — but it’s good practice while putting together your summer emergency kit to make sure you haven’t accidentally taken it out to dry… and then (whoops!) left it in the garage. 

Foldable umbrellas can be inexpensive and take up minimal trunk space. 

PRO TIP: Don’t overlook rain boots either. They’re also always good to have on hand — even in non-emergency situations. 

Baseball cap, floppy hat, Panama hat… whichever style you prefer, plan to serve up the kind of looks that’ll keep your face from looking like a red tomato if you get caught out in the sun for a long period of time.   

PRO TIP: The wider the brim of the hat, the more protection you’ll get from the sun. Experts suggest aiming for at least a 3-inch-wide brim all around. And naturally, any hat you wear while driving cannot obstruct your vision whatsoever. 

There are souvenirs you want to bring back from a trip with you — and souvenirs you don’t. Bug bites certainly fall into the latter category. If you’re stranded on the side of the road, you’ll want to have some bug spray to ward off those pesky irritants. 

Just remember: never leave aerosols in your car as they can become extremely dangerous — especially on a hot summer day. 

Also, don’t spray bug repellant too close to your car, it may damage the paint on the exterior. 

Of course, you’ll always want to have sunscreen, as well as bottles of water to stay hydrated.   

But bring these with you on a per-trip basis as they can, at best, become less potent (sunscreen) or can even be dangerous (plastic bottles are known to leak chemicals like BPA). 

Check out even more summer blogs to stay summer ready, like:  

• 5 Essential Summer Car Care Tips 

• Car Air Conditioning: Maximize Your Cool Factor 

• Essential Road Trip Packing Guide 

• Do's and Don'ts of Tornado Road Safety 

• Time to Replace Your Windshield Wipers?

As always, empowered drivers are safer drivers, more thoughtful drivers, and more engaged drivers. Check out more helpful tips, including: 

• Dating 101: How Can Your Car Drive Up Attraction? 

• 6 Ways to Defend Yourself From Drunk Drivers 

• Car Fires: Can it Happen to You? 

• 9 Eco-Friendly Tips to Reduce Your Car’s Carbon Imprint 

• Break Up With Bad Driving Habits 

What are you waiting for? Join the ride and get a quote today and see how techno-driven coverage can lower your premiums.