Don’t put off vehicle maintenance. At the beginning of hurricane season, have your vehicle checked and serviced, and get any routine maintenance needs addressed.

Our local Pompano Beach auto repair center can perform a full vehicle maintenance check anytime, including before hurricane season.

• Engine cooling system
• Battery health
• Tire pressure and tread wear
• Replace windshield wipers
• Headlights, taillights, and turn signal lights
• Outstanding recalls

Check your insurance policy for coverage terms. Specifically, look for coverage related to flooding or damage caused by storm debris. Talk to your insurance agent now about changes to your auto policy, especially if your deductibles are too high or storm-related coverages are missing. It’s also helpful to check for rental car coverage.

In the chaotic aftermath of a hurricane, people commonly struggle to locate their important documents. Address this by confirming the location of your vehicle’s registration and insurance documents. Make a copy of these documents and place them somewhere safe. Place the originals back in your vehicle in a waterproof bag.

Keep your gas tank full. Gas stations quickly sell out of fuel as everyone fills their tanks and spare gas cans. If you plan to evacuate, you will need gas to drive out of town. Plan to need more fuel, as heavy evacuation traffic will make the trip take longer. If you do not evacuate, running out of gas will prevent you from driving to get clean water and food while your area recovers. It will take time for the infrastructure to get back up and running, which can cause delays in gas stations getting replenished.

If you have an electric vehicle (EV), make sure it is fully charged. But don’t leave your EV plugged in during a storm. Instead, unplug your vehicle from the charging station once it’s fully charged so any power surges during the storm won’t cause any vehicle damage. It’s also a good idea to turn off the power station itself to prevent damage.

If you have an electric vehicle, you need to take extra precautions when leaving your vehicle in your garage. Flood waters have caused a record number of EV fires during and after recent hurricanes. Battery fires can happen hours, days, or even weeks after the hurricane, too.

Put together an emergency and first aid kit to keep in your vehicle. Place them in your trunk, but also keep one handy in the cabin, under a seat, or in the glove box. This way, you’ll always have them if you need them.

Stock your car-care emergency kit with these essentials:

• Battery jump starter
• Battery jumper cables
• Tire patch kit
• Road flares
• Flashlight
• Extra batteries

A first-aid kit will be handy to address any personal injuries. You can buy pre-assembled first aid kits that have the essentials. It should have something to clean and dress wounds and over-the-counter pain relievers you can use until you’re able to reach medical care.

Hurricanes will knock out power, and there’s a chance that cell service and internet connections won’t be reliable. So, keep a paper map with evacuation routes in your emergency kit. Don’t rely on credit cards either, for the same reason. Stash a few hundred dollars in cash somewhere safe. Stores and gas stations won’t be able to process credit card payments when there is no power to run the machines.

As much as you don’t want your car to be damaged during a storm, prepare now for an insurance claim later. To make filing easier, keep records of its current condition. A maintenance check provides a great mechanical record. But visual evidence is also important. Take clear, well-lit photos and videos of your vehicle from all angles. Store copies in multiple places, online and on a cloud drive, to avoid losing them.

If you do not evacuate, park your vehicle in a high, flood-safe location. Many South Florida parking garages offer spaces during hurricanes. Choose a central spot and not one on the roof. If a garage isn’t an option, park away from trees and light poles if you can, to minimize risk.

If none of these options are possible, you may choose to leave your vehicle in your home’s garage. Secure your garage to make it as protective as possible.

• Cover all windows to prevent debris from breaking the glass and coming into the garage.
• Reinforce the garage door by mounting support against it on the inside.

Debris hitting the door can push it into the garage and cause damage to your vehicle, and even rushing flood water can push a garage door in. Unplug the garage door opener machinery from its power source, too. If possible, you could drive your car up onto ramps in your garage to help protect it from rising flood waters. That way, the vehicle’s electrical components aren’t as likely to become submerged.