Driving in conditions where snow is settling can be one of the most dangerous times to use your vehicle.
Not only are the roads slipperier than usual, but your car will take longer to stop in an emergency. Also, the darker days mean that the roads become a lot harder to judge distances and a lot of drivers avoid using the road entirely.
Parts of the UK have already experienced snowfall, bringing a more dangerous edge to many of the country’s key areas.
We’ve compiled a list of things you need to check before you use your car this winter if snow falls.
Plan your journey
A sensible thing to do if you know you’re driving great distances in snowy conditions is to plan your route. This is because certain roads could be blocked or closed due to the conditions and a rise in accidents means that congestion could form another obstruction.
Many decent road map apps on your car’s infotainment screen can work out the quickest and most effective routes while informing you of where all the tailbacks are and if there are any road closures. This means you can allow plenty of time to leave, plus if the road conditions are dangerous and icy, you need to make sure you drive slowly and cautiously.
Check your tyres
One of the most crucial checks you need is for your car’s tyres. The legal requirement of tread depth here in the UK is 1.6mm, but it’s advised that you replace them when the tread gets to 3mm for added safety.
Check for cracks, bulges, tears and even the age of the rubber fitted as all these can play havoc with how your car performs on a wet, slippery road. Another thing you could invest in is purchasing winter tyres which give chunkier tread and thicker sidewalls to allow your car to cope with snowy conditions more effectively
Keep your phone charged
Always keep your phone topped up with charge as you never know when you might need it at this time of year.
The colder months can put more strain on your car’s engine making it harder to start or run smoothly. Plus, accidents happen more frequently when there is snow, and if you find yourself in a problematic situation without any battery on your mobile – it could be dangerous.
Check the condition of the battery
Always check the battery on your car or even have it replaced as engines will take longer to crank over when it’s cold and snow is starting to set.
If your battery is on the way out, you might notice that it struggles to get a car’s engine started – you can get a trained professional to test out the remaining ‘life’ in your vehicle’s battery and have it replaced if it has fallen too low.
Make sure you don’t run on low fuel
Regardless of whether you’re driving in snow conditions, you should always drive with a decent amount of fuel in your car and never let it run too low. Not only can it damage your engine, but you don’t want to run out of fuel at the side of the road in dangerous conditions and it’s freezing cold.
Always allow at least half a tank of fuel, and if you know you’re going to be driving a lot in the snow, keep it topped up on a weekly basis, as it will save you from any headaches if you find yourself running on fumes and need to stop to fill your vehicle up with fuel.
Keep your car topped up with screenwash
If you’re driving in the very early hours of the morning when temperatures are at their lowest, always make sure you’ve got screenwash in your car as this will prevent the windows from freezing up.
Making sure that you’ve got screenwash in your car will ensure that the whole system doesn’t freeze up when the temperatures fall – as can be the case if you use just water – and will do a far better job at clearing your car’s windscreen when you need it.
