I hate driving in snow and ice, it scares me and I’ve had a couple of near mishaps. Once, I was coming out of an icy car park, approaching a busy road, when the car just wouldn’t stop. I was skidding towards the moving traffic sideways on. Eventually the car stopped just inches from the road, just as a bus went passed.
I avoid driving in snow and ice whenever I can, but sometimes it’s not possible. The weather stays bad for months and the car needs to be used so I’ve put together some tips for making sure the car is ready for winter journeys.
Do Your Checks
Make sure your tyres are in good condition, you may even consider changing to winter tyres. The legal limit for tyre tread is 1.6mm but 3mm is recommended for a better grip in bad weather.
Car batteries have a life of around 5 years so it’s worth checking how old yours is, it’s going to take a lot of pressure over the winter months.
Check the amount of anti-freeze in your water and top it up if necessary. In winter it should be fifty percent water, fifty percent anti-freeze.
Clean your lights, windowscreen and wipers. Being able to see properly is a priority on darker days and nights. Check for chips in the windowscreen too as these can grow when it’s cold.
Always make sure you have a decent amount of petrol in the tank in case of delays in your journey.
Emergency Supplies
It’s always best to be prepared for an breakdown or being stuck in traffic in cold weather. We all see it on the news, rows of cars stuck for hours in the snow, but we never know when it could happen to us. So it’s wise just to be prepared. A simple breakdown kit could contain, a shovel, torch, blanket, scraper, de-icer and a few food and drink supplies. That should help until you get moving again, or rescued. It’s always good to have a fully charged phone too.
Last but Not Least
Do make sure that your car is up to date with it’s service checks and MOT. According to the AA a lot of car problems in the cold weather could be avoided by regular servicing and maintenance checks. So, get yours done before it’s too late. No one does better VOSA approved MOT in Northampton than Calmac Tyres Autocentres. Get your car checked today!
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post
Very good advice to keep you save on the road, always good to keep checks and make sure your safe this winter time X #mmbc