Spring in Beijing is a period prone to sandstorms, the BDS Ring-do Car Rent Service Centre would like to remind drivers of these seasonal changes, and warn that during this period of sandstorms, drivers should pay attention to the following problems :

1. Maintaining a high degree of concentration, and avoid pedestrians

In periods of sandstorms, some pedestrians wear a scarf on their face, or even sunglasses, limiting their vision. Under these conditions, the driver must be extremely cautious and avoid pedestrians.

In addition, some cyclists ride head down to avoid the sand. If the driver crosses an intersection or is on a road where traffic is mixed, he/she should always pay attention to cyclists, preferably drive at a low speed, and always be ready to brake or stop if a bicycle suddenly break into a traffic lane.

2. Quickly dodge obstacles

When driving in windy or sandstorm conditions, obstacles such as foam boards, trash bags, paper waste and others may suddenly appear in front of the vehicle, so in case of late braking, the driver must quickly dodge, with the steering wheel rotation rate not exceeding one half turn. After completing the evasive action, quickly direct the wheel in the correct direction to move the vehicle again from a wavering situation to that of a firm recovery.

3. Close the windows

When driving in high wind, tightly close the windows to prevent the dust entering the cockpit and impacting the driver's field of vision.

4. Stay away from buildings when parking

When there’s wind, objects can easily be blown from balconies of high-rise buildings by the strong winds. To prevent falling objects crashing on the vehicle and cause injury when parking, the best thing to do is to stay away from buildings, fences, signs and dead trees.

5. Keep the vehicle’s dust filter clean

After a sandstorm, vehicle dust filters should be cleaned as soon as possible, ensuring fresh air in the car. It can also help reduce fuel consumption. At the same time, if you do not use the air conditioning system for a long time, be sure to clean the air ducts of the vehicle at the end of spring.

6. Wash the vehicle properly

After each sandstorm period, the driver usually wipes the sand deposited on the windshield and painting, which is actually the wrong approach. Old dusters cause a lot of dust, and if the driver uses the same cloth each day, it is similar to a rasp, easily creating small scratches on the paint. The correct way is to wash the vehicle with water cannons to directly remove dust and dirt, then remove the water stains with a special cleaning cloth, followed by a wax polish if possible,. The glass doors and the windshield should be cleaned with a detergent. When rubbing the windshield, use a small brush to remove sand particles, brush outward and clean the inside of the brush with a wet towel.