It can’t have escaped your notice that it’s been pretty cold recently! Our busy lives aren’t set up to drop everything when the temperatures dip, but colder weather makes using our cars to get from A to B a much riskier business.
Keeping you, your passengers, and other road users around you safe should be your priority when you’re driving, and during the winter, this requires some extra vigilance. Here at Windmill Motors, we’ve put together a guide full of helpful tips to not only put to good use out on the wintery roads, but to keep your car ready for anything too.
How can I prepare my car for winter?
Treat preparation as prevention when it comes to winter-related incidents when you’re out and about, and there are a few ways in which you can ensure your car can take on colder conditions…
Tackle your tyres
Regularly checking your tyres should be part of your routine, but throughout the winter months, it’s essential to ensure that they haven’t lost pressure and they still meet at least 1.6mm in tread depth. Swapping your regular tyres for winter tyres is a common way to deal with winter driving conditions, as they feature a deeper, grippier tread.
Check your brakes
It goes without saying that your brakes absolutely have to be in good working order. Unless you have experience with cars, these may be harder to check yourself, but many garages will carry out a brake test free of charge if you’re in need of that all-important peace of mind.
Be kind to your battery
Nobody wants a flat car battery on a frosty morning, so it’s important to check it; the failure of car batteries is the biggest cause of winter breakdowns. This is simply because we are draining more power from our batteries by using things like the heating, and having our lights on for longer periods of time.
Give your lights some love
As we’ve alluded to, it’s darker for longer in the winter; from headlights, to fog lights, to brake lights, it’s essential to replace any faulty bulbs. Failure to do so could see you being pulled over by the police and receiving an on-the-spot fine, or, in a worst-case scenario, not seeing or being seen at a crucial time.
Check your engine oil
To reduce the chances of engine failure, you need to make sure your engine oil is topped up. To do this, check the dipstick under the bonnet, and if it’s low, top it up using a reputable product.
Keep on top of your coolant
If you weren’t aware, coolant is essential in ensuring your engine doesn’t freeze when temperatures drop to sub-zero. Similarly to your engine oil, check your coolant levels regularly, and top up when necessary.
Driving in the winter
Once you’re ready to get going, there are some things to bear in mind as you navigate conditions that could be wet, icy, or have low visibility. Here are our top winter driving tips:
Equip your car with the essentials
Winter is a time when you’re more likely to find yourself in a bit of a pickle at the roadside - and it’s not going to be warm! Make sure you always travel with essential items, such as blankets or a spare coat, some high-vis clothing, long-life drinks and snacks, a warning triangle, a spare tyre, torch, first aid kit, an ice scraper, and a car jack.
Give yourself more time
If conditions are hazardous, you’ll need more time than usual to get through them safely. If you’re running late and rushing around, you may be more inclined to take less care on the roads, perhaps in the form of speeding, and not paying proper attention. Make sure you leave earlier, which will cover you for things like slower speeds, traffic jams, and even de-icing the car!
Keep your distance
It’s so important to keep your distance from the car in front, especially when the roads are wet or icy, or visibility is poor. The standard distance between you and the car in front is a two-second gap, but when road conditions worsen, this needs to increase to as much as ten times the distance.
Steer into a skid
If you do have the misfortune to skid on an icy road, it’s important you don’t panic. Instead, gently steer the car in the direction of the skid if you can. Slamming on your brakes or taking your hands off the steering wheel are actions to avoid, instead guiding the car and gently applying the brakes.
Thoroughly defrost windows
It’s frustrating to find your windscreen frosty or misty (or both), and it can be tempting to clear a small patch that’s just enough to see through - especially when you’re in a rush! However, not clearing your windscreen properly is very dangerous, not to mention it’s illegal too! Leave yourself enough time to clear it properly, using an ice scraper and/or your air conditioning to make sure your windscreen is completely clear.
Choose a new car this winter
If time stuck inside this winter has got you thinking about upgrading your car, you know where to head; Windmill Motors of course! With over 130 cars in stock, fantastic finance deals available, and a whole lot of aftercare offered on site, it’s a bit of a no-brainer. Get browsing today!