Russell & Smith Honda

Jun 11, 2019

Houston Hurricane Season Car Tips Houston residents know how important it is to be prepared for hurricane season. From June to November, take extra steps to make sure you and your family are prepared for a storm. These storms can cause extensive damage to not only your home but your vehicle, too. Certain steps must be taken to protect your vehicle during hurricane season. Here are a few tips to help you prepare.

Have an Emergency Kit

A car emergency kit can make a big difference in the case of an emergency. A well thought our emergency kit is helpful in and out of hurricane season. You might want to make sure your kit includes:

  1. Basic tool kit
  2. Jumper cables
  3. Gas canister
  4. Tire jack
  5. Flashlight with batteries (set a calendar reminder to change batteries before storm season each year)
  6. Radio with batteries
  7. Blanket
  8. First aid kit
  9. Motor oil

This is just a start, if there are other items that are specific to your vehicle, your family, your location, make note of those too.

Keep Your Car Maintained

You should be keeping up with car maintenance throughout the year, but this is especially important as you are preparing for Houston hurricane season. In the event of an evacuation, you will rely on your car to get you to a safe location. Check the car’s fluid levels, including oil, transmission, brake, power steering, coolant, and windshield wiper fluids. You should check the vehicle’s belts, tires, and battery. If you do not feel comfortable performing these maintenance tasks, come see us at Russell & Smith Honda.

Pay Attention to Where You Park

If you own a home, make sure you park your vehicle in a garage. Back the vehicle into the garage. That will make it easier and faster to get the vehicle out in the case of an evacuation. If you do not happen to have a garage, park away from trees, power lines, light poles, and other things that could fall onto your vehicle and cause damage. Be aware of your surroundings.

Top Off Your Gas Tank

If you know of an approaching hurricane, fuel up the tank ahead of time. You can also fill up a gas canister, just in case. It can be difficult to get to a gas station if you wait. Gas stations in the Houston area can quickly become swamped and even run out of gas. Have multiple vehicles at home? Make sure all your cars are ready to go.

Keep Informed

Russell & Smith Honda put together a great list here for you, but there are more tips out there. Keep up with the progression of the storm. When is it expected to reach your area? How bad is it supposed to be? Watch the local news to find out this information and their recommendations. Be informed on the emergency evacuation routes. Check out what the AllState and Progressive have to say about disaster preparedness. Be safe this hurricane season!

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