Driving @ Xmas – stay-safe checklist

Associated: Christmas travel update

Christmas is coming, and the traffic jam is obtaining fat.

Millions of us take to the roads to check out close friends and family more than Christmas and the New Year – and the last issue we want is a breakdown or mechanical strife, or to be unprepared for a single of the several troubles the climate or the roads can throw at us.

With that in thoughts, here’s a checklist to assist make certain hassle-free of charge motoring over the festive season.

Verify, mate…

If you have any extended journeys planned, make positive your car is prepared:

• verify the pressure and tread of your tyres


• leading up your screenwash.


• verify your battery – if it’s far more than 5 years old, you must possibly replace it


• best up your engine oil


• verify your wiper blades.

Carry a kit

Make positive you’re prepared for every single eventuality by carrying an emergency kit. Consist of:

• warm blankets


• hot drinks and snacks


• higher visibility


• charged mobile telephone


• shovel


• torch


• wellingtons


• policy documents and emergency contact numbers.

Take out breakdown cover

Christmas is expensive enough with no getting to worry about steep garage contact-out charges if some thing goes incorrect with your auto. Comprehensive breakdown cover begins from around £30 a year so is nicely worth considering.

Program your route

Verify for any road performs or delays Before you leave property. Here’s our Christmas travel update.

Check the weather

Check weather reports before you leave house. If the climate is negative and the suggestions is not to travel, delay your journey until it is safe.

Fill up prior to you go

Make sure you’ve got a complete tank of fuel prior to you set off. Filling up at a local garage is likely to be cheaper than stocking up on the motorway.

Take entertainment

A long journey can seem a whole lot longer if you have got small kids clambering for your interest in the back. Take lots of issues to keep them entertained – magazines, audio-books, iPads and transportable DVD players need to all acquire you a handful of hours of peace.

Rest when you need to

If your journey is going to take you many hours, keep in mind to take standard breaks. If you can, share the driving with yet another household member, so you can each and every take it in turns to rest.

Never ever drink and drive

In no way ever get behind the wheel of your automobile if you’ve had a drink. Even just one drink can impair your judgement, so book a taxi for your journey home ahead of you go on any nights out. And don’t assume you’re safe to drive the morning following if you have had a big 1 the night just before – probabilities are you will nonetheless be over the limit.

Driving @ Xmas – stay-safe checklist