Road vehicles and driving conditions
The most damaging impacts of a changing climate on
road vehicles and driving conditions will be increases
in temperature and more extreme rainfall. Increases in
temperatures are likely to lead to: an increase in driver
discomfort and exhaustion, leading in turn to a greater
risk of accidents; use of more costly and more energyintensive
air conditioning systems; melting tyres or
wearing tread; and overheating of equipment such as
diesel engines. Increased instances of extreme rainfall
(and consequent flooding) will result in more frequent
occurrences of difficult driving conditions (and a higher
risk of accidents), or circumstances where driving
becomes impossible.