So if you’re looking to prepare your car for winter, what do you need to do?
Preparing your car
Well firstly you’ll need your lights, wiper and heater much more than at any other time of year, so you need to make sure your battery is in top-notch condition. A battery usually has a life of about 5 years so if you know yours is nearing the end of its life, the best thing you can do is replace it and you won’t have to worry about it breaking during the cold winter months. Also, make sure your anti-freeze is topped up and has a higher concentration of de-icer in it than you would do in the summer to make sure you radiator doesn’t freeze overnight, which believe me is much more common than you would think. Make sure you pay special attention to the temperature gauge of your car whilst driving because if it shoots up, your radiator will be frozen as there isn’t enough anti-freeze in the system.
Video Overview
On the Road
When it comes to setting off on your journey, the first thing to do obviously, is to clear your screens. This doesn’t mean create a small window for you to see out of, it means clear all of them so you have a full and normal view of the road. Also make sure your headlights are clear as well. When it comes to tyres, check the depth of the tread and if it needs replacing, prioritise this in your winter checklist. These 4 rings of rubber keep you connected to the road so it’s important that the depth is able to shift the amount of rain, snow and ice that could be expected. You’ll have much better braking and better traction.
Road Signs and Safety
This is the time of year when road safety signs may be more common due to the bad weather conditions. Proshield, a safety sign manufacturer, told us that you should always keep a good look out for diversion signs, temporary traffic cones and speed reduction signs, warning of bad conditions creating problems on the roads. So remember to keep a good look-out for new signs alerting you to any problems or unsafe conditions you may face. The signs may get damaged as the rain and snow comes down so you need to keep your wits about you.
Essentials
Finally, make sure that your mobile phone is charged to the maximum. If the worst happens and your car breaks down on a cold motorway, the last thing you need is a 3 mile trek to call for help. Also keep things like warm clothes, a first aid kit and a towrope in the boot of your car, just in case you need them.
If you do all of these things, you can minimise the risks you take whilst winter driving.
