Cyclone Checklist

If you live in Northern Queensland or Northwest WA, you might well have knowledgeable a cyclone or 2. According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Australia has just more than a dozen cyclones, on typical, each and every year. And although we cannot handle the weather, there are things that property owners can do to aid decrease the prospective damage to their home. A swift checklist to aid you prepare for a cyclone is as follows:

Before the cyclone season starts:

• Verify your house just before the start off of cyclone season to ensure that the building, fences and outhouses are secure, that there is practically nothing structurally requiring repair (verify for corrosion and termite harm) and that any trees on your home are trimmed. Do not overlook to verify your roof and gutters, your garage door and your window frames and locks.

• Clean up your yard. The more unnecessary “stuff” you leave lying around your property, the much more operate there could be for you to do at quick notice is a cyclone warning is issued. So hold your property as tidy as attainable and make sure that you have a protected and secure location for any outdoor furniture to be stowed if required.

• Place with each other an emergency kit of items that you may well need to have if a cyclone hits and the power goes out. Critical issues to include are torches, a battery-powered radio, further batteries, a very first help kit and any required medicines. You must also include masking tape and scissors (to tape your windows if required), have some bottles of water handy and some food.

• Have a list of emergency numbers and know the frequency of your regional radio station.

If there is a cyclone warning:

• Put petrol in your auto, make certain you have lots of drinking water and make sure your smartphone and iPad are completely charged

• Lock away or secure any outdoor things.

• If your windows are not shuttered, then board up or tape (in a criss-cross pattern) all windows. If you have curtains or blinds, draw them down to safeguard oneself from attainable broken glass.

• Pack an evacuation bag, just in case, with all the usual issues that you would take on a weekend away.

• Make sure that all automobiles, including boats, caravans, bikes and scooters, are safely beneath cover.

If a cyclone is going to hit:

• Turn off the electrical energy, gas and water.

• Put on tough clothing and enclosed footwear. Even if it is hot, thongs and a t-shirt are not appropriate clothes to deal with a cyclone as you run the threat of injury from shattered glass and debris.

• Keep every person indoors (such as your pets) and stay tuned to your local radio station and the BOM site for updates.


• If an evacuation order is issued, make certain you adhere to it. Take your evacuation bag, emergency kit, food and water and your pets. Attempt not to delay evacuating as you risk getting caught in targeted traffic, in floodwater or even in the cyclone.

If you are unlucky enough to suffer harm from a cyclone, make contact with your house and contents insurance coverage provider as quickly as possible, to locate out what actions you need to take to submit a claim. And if you don’t have it yet, you can evaluate residence and contents insurance policies here.

Cyclone Checklist

Driving @ Xmas – keep-safe checklist

Connected: Christmas travel update

Christmas is coming, and the targeted traffic jam is getting fat.

Millions of us take to the roads to check out pals 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 one of the numerous difficulties the weather or the roads can throw at us.

With that in thoughts, here’s a checklist to assist make certain hassle-cost-free motoring more than the festive season.

Verify, mate…

If you’ve any long journeys planned, make positive your vehicle is prepared:

• verify the pressure and tread of your tyres


• top up your screenwash.


• verify your battery – if it is a lot more than 5 years old, you need to most likely replace it


• top up your engine oil


• verify your wiper blades.

Carry a kit

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

• warm blankets


• hot drinks and snacks


• high visibility


• charged mobile telephone


• shovel


• torch


• wellingtons


• policy documents and emergency make contact with numbers.

Take out breakdown cover

Christmas is expensive sufficient with no having to be concerned about steep garage get in touch with-out fees if anything goes incorrect with your car. Complete breakdown cover begins from around £30 a year so is effectively worth contemplating.

Plan your route

Check for any road operates or delays Ahead of you leave house. Here’s our Christmas travel update.

Check the weather

Check weather reports prior to you leave property. If the weather is bad and the guidance is not to travel, delay your journey until it is safe.

Fill up just before you go

Make certain you have got a full tank of fuel just before you set off. Filling up at a local garage is most likely to be less expensive than stocking up on the motorway.

Take entertainment

A long journey can seem a complete lot longer if you’ve got modest young children clambering for your interest in the back. Take lots of factors to maintain them entertained – magazines, audio-books, iPads and transportable DVD players must all buy you a few hours of peace.

Rest when you want to

If your journey is going to take you many hours, keep in mind to take regular breaks. If you can, share the driving with an additional loved ones member, so you can each take it in turns to rest.

By no means drink and drive

Never ever ever get behind the wheel of your car if you have had a drink. Even just 1 drink can impair your judgement, so book a taxi for your journey house prior to you go on any nights out. And do not assume you’re protected to drive the morning right after if you have had a huge one the night ahead of – probabilities are you’ll still be more than the limit.

Driving @ Xmas – keep-safe checklist

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

How safe are your car’s tyres? MiWay offers a checklist for maintenance tips

Keeping safe on the road is not only about being an alert and cautious driver, it is also about making sure that your car is always in tip-top condition. An essential part of that is ensuring that your tyres are in a roadworthy condition – after all, the tyres are the point of contact between your vehicle and the road. Worn tyres reduce the performance of your car and low tread depths decrease the effectiveness of braking, steering, and even accelerating – all of which are important in staying safe on the road. Moreover, in wet weather, tread depth plays a crucial role in dispersing water to maintain a good grip.

Checklist for tyres

Tyres should be inspected on a regular basis. Here are some of the most important things to look out for:

• Check for punctures, penetrations, cuts and bulges.

• Cuts in the tyre could allow moisture to reach the casing plies. This is harmful for both textile and steel casings and will affect safety and tyre life.


• Uneven tyre wear is a sign that wheel alignment needs attention.


• Inner and outer edge wear. If both inner and outer edges are worn, it can suggest that the tyres have been run at a pressure which is too low at normal speeds.


• Irregular bald spot, also known as cupping – is usually caused by worn shock absorbers, a worn suspension, or even loose wheel bearings.


• Missing valve caps should be replaced, since they are there to prevent dirt from clogging the valves, which could cause loss in air pressure.


• Tighten wheel studs/nuts to the correct torque setting when mounting new tyres – also check for loose or missing wheel nuts.


• Check tread depth on all tyres and replace well before they reach the regulatory minimum depth of 1.00 mm.

Tyre pressure

Over or under inflation reduces the contact between the tyre and the road and also shortens the lifespan of your tyres. Make sure tyres are always inflated to the right pressure for your car. If you are not sure, check the Owner’s Manual or the display on the driver’s door side panel.

Don’t forget to also check that your spare wheel is in good shape, too, including a properly inflated tyre and that you have the correct tools to replace it. You never know when you might need it!

Maintaining your car’s tyres

• Make sure the size and speed/loading ratings of your tyres conform to the specifications in the Owner’s Manual.


• Check tyres and rims for any accidental damage after impacting with potholes/curb stones or other obstacles in the road.


• Be sure to have your tyres, brakes, shock absorbers and rims checked when servicing the car.


• Car wheel alignment should be tested at regular intervals to obtain even tread wear and maximise lifespan of tyres.

Safety tip: If a tyre bursts, do not apply the brakes, rather use the gears to slow down the car. A sudden change in direction or braking on a flat tyre can result in loss of control. Rather risk losing one wheel than damaging more of your car!

Spare wheel safety

Your spare wheel is only designed to be a temporary solution and should never be a permanent replacement for regular wheels.

Remember, the 4 tyres on your car are some of the most important components on the vehicle and the only point of contact between you and the road. Always refer to the owner’s manual for all tyre pressure specifications and other related information. If you suspect any damage to the tyres – consult a tyre expert!

For more information on car insurance, visit www.miway.co.za

[By Rory Judd, MiWay head of online marketing]

MiWay is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (Licence no: 33970)

 Road Safety and Tyre Safety

How safe are your car’s tyres? MiWay offers a checklist for maintenance tips