The good news is that there's preventative action you can take to help reduce the likelihood of your vehicle engine overheating.

Check Coolant Levels:

One of the simplest things you can do is regularly check your coolant levels. Often, your mechanic will top off coolant levels when you bring the vehicle in for routine maintenance. However, it still makes sense to get into the habit of checking the levels yourself periodically. Make sure you only check the coolant levels when your vehicle's engine is cool.
If you're regularly adding coolant, but your vehicle is still running hot, you could have a leak somewhere in the system. You can confirm any suspicions by looking for puddles of coolant under your vehicle. If this is the case, see a mechanic for repairs.

Watch Your Temperature Gauge

Keep an eye on your dashboard. Specifically, your vehicle's temperature gauge, which helps give you an idea of how hot the engine is running. It's especially helpful to monitor on longer drives. If you begin to see it creeping to high-temperature levels, don't be afraid to pull over to give your car a break or assess any issues.

Check Your Drive Belt

Drive belts help power the water pump, which thereby helps circulate coolant. If this belt breaks or endures damage, no coolant will be circulating, and the engine will quickly overheat. Get into the habit of periodically checking the drive belt yourself or asking your mechanic to inspect it when you bring your vehicle in for routine maintenance. Most mechanics recommend drive belt replacement after about 60,000 miles.

Regularly Flush Your Coolant

Topping off the coolant is one thing, but it's also important to flush the cooling system periodically to remove old fluid and replace it with new, clean fluid. Coolant flushes are also an ideal time to inspect the hoses and other system components. According to Kelley Blue Book, coolant flushes are recommended every two years or 30,000 miles.