Drivers urged to remove three items from their car before Saturday morning

Motorists are being warned to remove three items from their vehicles before Saturday morning, when the heatwave is expected to peak at a staggering 32C. This is due to the fact that high summer temperatures can have unexpected and potentially dangerous impacts on your safety whilst driving.

This week, the mercury could rise as high as 31C on Thursday, remaining at this level for several days until Saturday, when temperatures are predicted to climb even higher to 32C, according to the Met Office. Following this, conditions will dip slightly to a still sweltering 31C on Sunday, before cooling to 29C on Monday.

READ MORE: Huge Amazon Prime Day sale slashes Coco & Eve's 'best tanner on the market' by 30%

The heatwave is set to conclude on Tuesday, July 15, with more bearable temperatures of 25C. In light of this, drivers are being advised to remove three common items from their cars before the heat intensifies.

The first item is bottled water. It's easy to inadvertently leave a bottle of water in the car after a long day, but as temperatures increase, chemicals from the plastic bottle can seep into the water, rendering it less safe to consume.

In extreme cases, they can even amplify sunlight and potentially cause a fire within the vehicle. The safest course of action is to remove the bottle from the car, ensuring both the car's safety and the water's taste remain unaffected, reports the Express.

Secondly, consider medication. It may not be immediately apparent, but common over-the-counter medicines such as paracetamol, Calpol and other pain relievers have a maximum temperature at which they remain effective.

If you leave a packet of painkillers in a hot car, their efficacy may diminish or they may become entirely ineffective.

In fact, most commercial painkillers and medicines are only rated to withstand temperatures up to 25C, which means you could potentially exacerbate your symptoms. During heatwaves like this, it's strongly recommended to store certain medicines in the fridge.

Sun cream, also referred to as sun block, sunscreen, or sun tan lotion, presents another problem when left in a hot car. It can spoil inside the bottle and could even burst due to the pressure from the heat.

It's advised to treat it as if it were expired sun cream and replace it.

Lastly, batteries. This could refer to a battery pack, a vape with a rechargeable battery, or simply packs of batteries for an emergency kit like a torch and radio, which many motorists keep in the boot.

Batteries are unsafe to store in extremely hot conditions, as they could explode and leak battery acid, or ignite if used when overheated.

Ensure you have ample petrol (or diesel) as fuel depletes quicker during a heatwave. It's also crucial to check that your car has sufficient water and oil, both of which are essential on sweltering days, and that your air conditioning gas is replenished.

Apart from that, exercise caution and drive safely in the sunshine, while keeping a watchful eye on your engine's temperature gauge to prevent expensive breakdowns under the sun.