Is your Car Ready for Winter?

Winter can be a difficult time for drivers. Weather conditions are adverse, nights are dark, and figures from the Department for Transport suggest that the majority of motoring accidents happen over the winter months.

You can take steps to ensure that you, and your car, are as prepared as possible for winter. Here’s how to get started:

Tyres

Looking after your tyres is fundamental in staying safe on the road this winter. Ensure that you regularly check for lumps and bumps, keep your tyres at the optimal pressure recommended by the manufacturer, and check the tread for signs of wear and tear. For detailed advice on checking the tread, take a look at our advice blog, here.

If you regularly encounter snow-covered routes as part of your commute, you may also wish to consider investing in snow tyres, to improve your grip.

Lights

Having working lights is crucial, especially at this time of year. They can be a saviour not just at night, but also when driving in adverse weather conditions such as fog, rain or snow. Check your lights frequently, especially when embarking on long journeys. If a bulb needs replacing, don’t leave it – get it done as soon as possible. Your local car maintenance retailer will stock these, and may even be able to fit them for you for a small fee.

Battery

If you find your car battery goes flat if you leave it for a few days, or your car struggles to start, replacing it before the depths of winter is a good idea. If you’re not sure whether to replace it or not, take a look under the bonnet – are the battery terminals corroded? If so, it’s time for a new one.

Screen Wash

At this time of year, it’s important to keep your screen wash topped up, as grit on the roads, as well as rain and snow, means that you will need to wash your windscreen more often than usual. The majority of modern cars will alert you when you’re running low, so keep an eye out and fill it up when needed.

Antifreeze

Check your coolant level frequently, and top it up with a mixture of water and anti-freeze as required. If you’re unsure of how to do this, or what type of anti-freeze to use, your garage can check this and advise you.

Dashboard lights

Do you know what all the lights on your dashboard mean? Spend some time learning each of the symbols mean, so that you can quickly rectify the problem.

Brakes

If you’ve been meaning to get around to it, winter is the time to get your breaks checked, as stopping distances are much longer in snow, ice and rain.

Emergency Kit

It’s a good idea to keep a few key items in your car, to help you in the unlikely event that you get stranded. The following items may be of use:

• Warm clothes and a blanket
• Mobile phone and car charger
• Tow rope
• A shovel
• De-icer and a scraper
• Something to eat and drink
• Torch
• A hi-vis jacket or vest
• Jump leads
• First aid kit
• A hazard warning triangle

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