Things to do before driving in the snow

Driving in the snow needs careful planning

The first bit of advice from me would be avoid driving if at all possible in weather like this, because driving in the snow and ice can be daunting and dangerous, it’s not just your own driving you need to worry about, you need to keep a careful eye out for other drivers too.

If you needs are a must and you have no choice but to drive then the following tips will help you stay safe on the roads:

The RAC use a very useful acronym to help you remember what you need to check before starting your journey remember FORCES.

Fuel

make sure you have enough fuel in your car last thing you want to do is having to stop to fill your car up halfway through your journey.

 

Oil

Remember to pop the bonnet open and check you have enough oil, according to the RA during their patrols a staggering 1 in 3 cars run out of Oil it is absolutely essential you keep this topped up at all times. Cars driving with little to no oil could brake down and worst still you could damage the cars engine.

Rubber

Yours tyres are one of the most important things on your car, you need to check the condition of your tyres before starting any journey, it is even more imperative that you do so in the snow. Before your journey check that your tyres have no cracks, bulges or deep cuts, the recommended thread on your tyres should be 3mm insuring you have this will help give your car a good grip and traction.

Coolant

this doesn’t really need topping up often, but you should still check, especially in this weather or if you are planning a long journey, low collant level could cause your engine to over heat or even freeze.

Electrics

This again really needs to be checked on a regular basis. In weather like this it can get dark much sooner than it would when the weather is clear. Check that all the lights, indicators, and windscreen wipers are working, also check that the heater on you car works too. Make sure all de misting devices work too, you will not have good visibility if this is not working.

Screen wash

Make sure this is not topped up with just water, if it is this could freeze inside your car in weather like this, snow will cause more dirt to build up on your windscreen and water alone will not be enough to help keep your windscreen clean and reduce visibility.

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