News > Is your Car Ready to Drive this winter?

Is your Car Ready to Drive this winter?

Posted on 14/12/2011 10:46:00

Being the largest independent courier company in the Northwest, Speed Couriers know the trials and tribulations involved when driving in cold, frosty conditions. As winter brings conditions which make driving to and from your chosen destination a lot more risky, it is vital that drivers give extra care and attention when traveling. Here are a few thoughts that could help save you a lot of trouble on the roads this winter.

If you awaken to find your garden coated in a hint of frost or a coat on snow, your first thought should certainly be “how can I avoid driving?” Driving in hazardous conditions such as these is without question, more risky than most drivers come to expect. Visibility in these conditions are commonly reduced, so be sure to check all bulbs are working properly and you are able to make your car visible to others when visibility is poor. Be sure to clear excess snow from front and rear lights to ensure the light is not being smothered, and do the same for front and rear licence plates to eliminate the possibility of being fined.

It is essential that tyres have a suitable tread depth when planning to drive in winter; the minimum legal requirement for driving generally is 1.6mm, but in winter conditions are different and a bare minimum of 2mm per tyre is essential. It is commonly believed that reducing your tyre pressure can give the car more grip on the road; this is not true and has does not work and has been proven to reduce handling capabilities.

If you are an early bird and cannot avoid driving to work, get up 20 minutes early to prepare your vehicle for a winter drive, rushing out onto frosty roads in an unprepared car is asking for trouble; take time to warm your engine and clear your windscreen.

Remember, if you can avoid driving in any way possible, then do. Winter brings hazardous conditions to the roads, and often people do not realise just how dangerous driving in winter can be until an accident has been caused.