You wouldn’t dream of heading outdoors with out a coat in wintry climate, but millions of us regularly drive in the freezing cold with no provisions in our vehicle in case one thing goes incorrect.
You may possibly believe that your motor offers a good cosy refuge, but even if you have battery power when you break down, that comforting heater will not last for long.
That’s why it’s crucial to create an emergency kit packed with essentials, so that you are ready should the worst occur.
Keep warm
Initial and foremost, consider about how you’d keep warm if you have been left stranded. Preserve lots of blankets in your auto, as nicely as some added layers of clothes to put on.
If you’re preparing a long journey, take a flask or 2 of hot drinks, especially in freezing weather. Take some bottled water and snacks also – being cold is negative enough with out throwing hunger into the mix too.
Be seen
If you break down in the dark and your lights won’t function, you could be in a very harmful position, specially if roads are icy and other vehicles could skid into you. Make positive you have a reflective jacket so that you can be noticed, and a torch so that that you can locate your way to get aid if required.
It’s also a great idea to carry a reflective warning triangle too, to warn other motorists that your vehicle is stationary up ahead.
But never venture from your into the road if there’s a danger you may possibly be knocked down. Remember, if it is icy, other drivers may well not be in handle of their cars.
How to get unstuck
Obtaining your vehicle out of the driveway is likely to be your 1st massive challenge if there’s been a heavy dump of snow the evening prior to.
The AA recommends carrying an old bit of carpet in your boot to put beneath the tyres, and you need to also make certain you have got a shovel in the boot to assist dig your car out.
Not all roads are gritted, so if you have got space in your vehicle, a bag of salt is also a good thought as it assists melt ice.
Skidding is a single on the most significant hazards motorists face, so if you know that snow is on the way, it tends to make sense to preserve snow chains in your boot.
Don’t assume that chains will fit any automobile though – verify your handbook as your tyres might not be suitable for them, and you may possibly want a second set which they can be fitted on.
Don’;t forget, you can only use snow chains when the road is covered with a layer of snow or ice.
Verify visibility
Never ever drive in cold weather unless you have totally de-iced your windscreen and can see clearly in all directions.
Usually maintain de-icer and an ice scraper in the auto to aid with this, and a cloth to clean the inside of the windscreen if it mists up. The sleeve of your coat – specially if deployed as you drive along – is not a satisfactory option.
You ought to also make sure that your washer bottle is full of screen wash. If it’s really cold, you can use screenwash concentrate with out topping it up with water. This will guarantee fluid does not freeze on the windscreen or in the washer nozzles.
Prepare for battery outage
According to the AA, battery faults are the most typical lead to of breakdown, but specifically in winter when cold climate indicates the battery’s ability to accept a charge drops. This signifies the battery doesn’t recharge as speedily when you are driving.
It’s therefore imperative to verify everything is switched off when you park up in cold climate. Even leaving just one interior light on can drain your battery in just a couple of hours when it’s cold.
Usually preserve jump leads in the back of your car too, so that you can enlist the aid of yet another motorist to get your automobile started if the battery has died.
Winter service
If your vehicle has any engine problems or mechanical faults, these will be exacerbated by intense weather and winter driving circumstances. It’s a excellent thought to book your automobile in for a winter service to make confident any problems are identified and sorted out.
Breakdown cover
This is a very good concept at any time, but it is important in the course of the winter, so verify out what’s on provide.
Keep in mind that breakdown cover is just that – you will be looked right after if you break down, but not if you deliberately put oneself in a predicament where a issue is probably to arise. So do not drive via a flood – your breakdown firm is not obliged to rescue you if you have been reckless.
What to place in your winter driving survival pack
Do you take pride in spending your Sunday afternoons cleaning your vehicle until it is sparkling clean? Or do you locate yourself wanting to clean your automobile at home but you haven’t got the tools?
