Archive 24th September 2012

The summer is fast becoming a distant memory, temperatures are falling and the leaves on the trees are beginning to change colour from a vibrant green to fabulous shades of brown, yellow and orange. The children are headed back to school, the shops are displaying their autumn/winter ranges and no doubt we will begin to see products available and advertising reminding us that Christmas is on its way!

There are many changes to make now in our personal lives in order to prepare for winter and our car should be high on the list of priorities in order to ensure our health and safety through the coming winter months.

• You may have your vehicle serviced regularly, however; it would be prudent to check oil and water levels, tyre treads and windscreen wiper blades etc… to ensure they are working efficiently. It is very important when driving in rain that your wiper blades afford you the best possible visibility of the road ahead and that your tyres provide you with as much grip on the tarmac as possible.

Another item we often forget to check on a regular basis are the light bulbs. Even if they are working, it would be a good idea to invest in spares so that your car is fully visible to other road users at all times.

• Now would also be a good time to make sure you have items such as blankets, a torch and all the necessary emergency items such as a warning triangle and reflective jacket etc… in the event of break down on a cold winter’s night and whilst not a part of your car it would be shrewd to ensure your mobile phone has enough credit and charge each time you make a journey.

• Some of us still own cars which on a frosty morning often require manual labour with which to clear our windscreens. I know my credit card or such like has improvised as a scraping tool on many occasion! There are still many great products available to help thaw glass and key holes, so if your car requires defrosting by hand, then now is a good time to stock up on these essential items.

• Ensuring all your paper work for your car is to hand if needed is also necessary and you may want to consider revising what you are covered for. It would be wise to entertain the idea of having breakdown recovery whereby you can be taken to your home town by the recovery service and that you have windscreen cover. Our weather is temperamental and we often experience varying temperatures which can wreak havoc on a slight chip in our windscreen.

• We tend not to venture out for holidays during the winter months except those few days round Christmas when visiting the family. If you are expected to make an extended journey then you should plan in advance and make sure your vehicle is sustained to the uppermost standard BEFORE you leave and that you plan for every possible occurrence.

No matter if you only use your car for the short journeys such as the school or work run or whether you need to travel long distance it is very important you treat your car with the respect it deserves to ensure the health and safety of you and your family, especially through the winter months which afford us such varying weather. Most importantly drive with care and be aware of everyone and everything around you.

If you are nervous about driving in winter conditions, you may wish to consider some refresher lessons or the Pass Plus course.  Click here for details.