Simple car hack ensures you stay cool while driving during the heatwave

It's easy to get over-heated during car journeys
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)


As temperatures soar, drivers often grapple with the challenge of staying cool during rides in their heat-stricken vehicles.

And one savvy motorist has discovered a genius bit of kit to combat the uncomfortable warmth experienced during sweltering road trips.

The tip was shared by the user @accelerate_with_kate on TikTok via a video where she details the importance of ensuring that you remain "as cool as we can in the car" throughout this period of hot weather.

In her TikTok clip, Kate showcases the utility of self-cooling pack-mats that can sit snugly on your car seats. She explains that these mats can be placed behind your back or underneath you to provide relief from the heat, guaranteeing their high efficiency in cooling.

Kate praises the simplicity of these cooling mats, noting their ease of cleaning with an antibacterial wipe, which makes these gadgets a superb hack for those lengthy, sweltering car journeys.

Since it appeared online, the video has gone viral and viewers are loving the suggestion, with many eager to share that they've adopted the idea already.

Feedback was swift and positive as comments flooded in. One interested commenter recommended: "Put them in the fridge for a bit first, and they're amazing! " while another said: "Great idea."

A further viewer revealed a recent find, saying: "I got two yesterday from The Range, and they were £3.99." While someone else expressing regret said: "I wish I'd seen this weeks ago."

Brits are rushing to snap up the latest car gadgets as they prepare for lengthy summer drives, with online retailers seeing a surge in sales. Planning a road trip anytime soon? These handy devices might just be your best bet for staying cool during those hot hours on the tarmac.

The tip comes as the country has been sizzling under intense heat this week, but meteorologists indicate we could see a slight respite this weekend. But don't stow away your sunglasses yet weather experts anticipate that another bout of blistering heat is just around the corner, teasing a whopping 300-mile wide heatwave likely to sweep across us in July.

With predictions for next month heating up, the Met Office is alerting the nation to a "higher than average chance of heatwaves developing" in the period of July 9 to July 23.

Weather predictions from WXCharts point to potential highs of 25C in the southeast including London to Canterbury, hinting at a swathe of warmth encompassing much of England. It looks like a range of areas including the south coast, East Anglia, the midlands, and parts of the north (think Brighton, Southampton, Birmingham, Norwich, Cambridge) could bask in temperatures between 22C and 24C.

Folks down in the southwest, over in Wales and further north (covering Plymouth, Cardiff, Conwy, Liverpool, Newcastle), can expect to relish in highs around 19C to 22C. Contrastingly, Northern Ireland and Scotland (spanning areas such as Belfast, Derry, Edinburgh, Dumfries, Aberdeen, Inverness, Wick) are predicted to have cooler climes, with thermometers showing readings between 13C and 19C.