Help, Safety & Advice

Dealing with jams

If you are driving across Europe on holiday, the journey will be long and stressful enough without throwing in a few traffic jams for good measure. So, if you can, avoid driving at peak times and, if you can understand the local language, keep your radio on for traffic alerts.

Even if you take precautions, however, the chances are that at some point you will end up in a jam. Rather than sitting there fuming and cursing, keep a map handy and use it to see if there is an alternative route you can take.

If you get stuck in a jam

Don't forget to pay attention to the road - just because you are driving slowly doesn't mean you can't have a collision. In long tailbacks on motorways some people try vainly to speed up their progress by constantly switching lanes. If you are looking down at a map, or just drifting off into a daydream, a sharp bump may be the result. So, be alert to somebody suddenly cutting in front of you, and if you spot a serial lane changer coming up behind you, be extra vigilant when he gets close by.

Often, when crawling along in a jam at 5mph, you will spot a car stopped at the side of the road with the bonnet open and steam rising from it. This may make you appreciate even your torturous progress, but don't think it can't happen to you.

Any car can overheat in a traffic jam, so make sure you remain alert to the possibility, and take some precautions before you set up.

Avoiding breakdown

The engine may overheat and breakdown in slow-moving traffic if the coolant levels are too low, so before you set off on a long journey, make sure it is topped up to just below the max line. To top up the system, open the bonnet and unscrew the coolant reservoir cap slowly while the engine is cold, and allow any pressure to escape - never do this when the engine is hot or you may get badly scalded. Add the coolant (usually a mixture of water and anti-freeze) and secure the cap again.

Once you are in a jam, keep an eye on the engine temperature gauge. Before it gets into the red, the cooling fan should come on in the car automatically. If you hear this happen while crawling along in a jam on a hot day, you are in dangerous territory. Put the heater on full (maximum heat and highest blower speed) to disperse some heat from the engine. This will make the car very hot inside, so open the windows. Then, as soon as you can, pull over in a safe place and switch the engine off.

Where to get help

Once stopped, get out and check if something is blocking the airflow to the radiator at the front of the car - such as a plastic bag. Lift the bonnet cautiously (beware, the electric cooling fan may still be running) and see if there is steam escaping anyway, possibly from a split in a hose or a hole in the radiator. If there is, you will need to get this repaired by calling your breakdown people.

If the coolant level is simply too low - it may be completely empty - wait for the engine to cool down before topping it up. If you don't have any coolant, water alone is fine as a temporary solution.

Once the engine has cooled, start driving again, but keep an eye on the temperature gauge in case it starts to overheat again.

Traffic jams can cause both you and your car to get a little bit hot under the collar. But stay cool and, if you have time, pull over and take a break - the jam may have cleared by the time you restart your journey.