Now that the icy chill has taken over our nights its essential you prepare your car for winter. It’s dark by 5pm and that means one thing, the cold of winter isn’t far behind. It’s winter where we see more car accidents than any other season; this can be blamed on the icy road conditions and drivers not taking the weather into consideration when they head out.
If you prepare your car for winter you can save you a fortune in the long run. If you are ready for winter, your risk of an accident can be reduced. This in turn means you will not be claiming from your insurance policy, you will not be paying out an excess at Christmas time when you are trying to hold onto every penny and you will not lose your no claims bonus.
Have Your Car Serviced
It’s in winter when you want your car running at its best. Now is the time to prepare your car for winter by taking it in for a service. Having the oil and water checked and the vehicle getting a once over means you are less likely to be left sitting on the side of the road broken down in horrendous weather conditions.
There are some car workshops that offer free winter checks, this can include just double checking your oil, water and tyres to ensure your vehicle is safe to drive when winter really takes hold.
Checklist to Prepare your Car for Winter
Check Your Tyres
We don’t often really get enough snow in the UK to warrant snow tyres, but you do need to ensure that your tyres are in good condition and have the required thread. Now while you may think this is only done to comply with the law (see Heninger Garrison Davis for more), a good treaded tyre can help you stop quickly and reduces the risk of skidding when you need to control your vehicle, tyre experts in Lloydminster say. This is one of the most import take away points when you are looking to prepare your car for winter.
Insurance
Always ensure your vehicle insurance is up to date at this time of year, this is the time when you may end up relying on it. If your policy is due for renewal, shop around for other quotes but make doubly certain it is renewed before you drive. Whatever you do, do not leave home without your insurance in place. This applies to businesses that rely on a Motor Trade insurance policy.
Drive Safely with good vision
Take care and always keep your windscreen clear and your lights working properly. As obvious as this sounds taking extra care when driving in winter conditions can ensure your safe arrival at your destination. Always keep an eye on the vehicles in front of you. Don’t only concentrate on the first vehicle in front of you, but also a couple of vehicles ahead as well, that way you can know when they are braking.
Always give yourself plenty of space between your vehicle and the one in front of you. Remember there may be ice on the roads so if you do need to stop quickly; you want to have enough room to do so.
More winter driving essentials: