Winter driving tips
How to make sure you and your vehicle are prepared for anything, from a cold snap to extreme weather.Driving in winter can be quite stressful especially when you are out in the hours of darkness.
With the possibility of snow, ice and floods you need to make sure you and your vehicle are winter ready.
BREAKDOWN COVER
Check that you have the right breakdown cover in place and to make sure your car’s roadworthy check your tyre tread, brake fluid, electrics, oil and bulbs or get your local garage to do this for you.
BATTERY
Winter use of lights and heating can impose an extra strain on car batteries, and they rarely last longer than about five years. If yours is approaching the end of its life get it checked or replaced by a qualified battery technician.
WINDOWS
Winter roads combined with surface spray make a full windscreen washer bottle an absolute essential. Dont wait to run out but have a regime of topping up regularly. Winter sun can be very low and quite bright so dont discard your sun glasses sand for the early mornings stock up with de-icer and scrapers. Windscreen wipers and bulbs should also be checked often.
LIGHTS
Being seen is important in the poor lighting that winter gives you so check them daily before setting off, dont forget to check, and also use, fog lights and spot lights.
TYRES
Depending on your winter usage and where you are located you may want to consider utilising a set of winter tyres. These can make driving just that bit safer in snow or ice and can be swapped with your usual ones when soring arrives. It is worth checking with your insurers that a change to winter tyres is not a notifiable modification.
WINTER EMERGENCY KIT
“Hope for the best and prepare for the worst”
This is a great mantra for winter driving and with this in mind the following would be good to have on board.
First Aid kit.
Blankets.
Warm coat.
High Viz jacket.
Waterproof boots.
Tool Kit.
Torch.
Shovel.
Tow rope.
Warning triangle.
Phone charger.
Phone power pack.
Drinks.
Energy food.
HAVE A SAFE AND TROUBLE FREE JOURNEY
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