Drivers warned over melting roads and tyre blowouts in heatwave
Breakdowns were up by 15% on the bank holiday weekend due to the heatwave conditions
Drivers have been warned to be cautious of melting roads and tyres blowing out during the heatwave.
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The alert was issued by the president of AA, Edmund King, after temperatures reached a sweltering 35.1 °C in Kew Gardens, west London, on Tuesday.
Several roads in East Anglia have melted in the heat, including the A143 in Stanton, near Bury St Edmunds.
“Some roads may begin to soften at temperatures above 50 °C, which could occur when air temperatures reach 30 °C,” Mr King said.
“Other impacts that can show on heat-stressed roads include rutting and wheel paths from the weight of vehicles on busy roads where the road surface has softened.”
Read more: Britain’s deadly heatwave: Seven youngsters drown as May temperatures hit record levels
He warned that the high temperatures can “stress the rubber” on tyres, which may be old or damaged, causing “punctures, wall failures and, most dangerous, blowouts”.
Drivers have been advised to replace damaged tyres to avoid road incidents, which may be a “threat to you, people in your vehicle and other road users”.
The number of breakdowns the AA attended over the bank holiday weekend was up 15% on the same period last year due to the heatwave, which “put extra strain on vehicles”.
Between Friday and Monday on the long weekend, the organisation received 34,124 callouts, compared with 29,602 a year ago.
The balmy temperatures on Sunday and Monday saw the biggest year-on-year increases, seeing callouts up 21% on both days, while Saturday and Friday saw increases of 17% and 5% respectively.
The RAC also reported 29% busier levels of breakdown rescues than usual, with more than 9,500 requests for assistance when compared with a normal Tuesday in late May.