How to Make Sure Your Car Is Prepared For Winter Driving

Winter is well and truly here and we have been busy ensuring that all our vehicles – whether they’re leaving us on a short or long term hire – are ready to tackle the roads and are safe and reliable for our customers.

Here at head office, we’re lucky enough to have a host of vehicle leasing experts and a vehicle maintenance team that know just the right pressures to check, bulbs to fix and fluid to fill to ensure that we’re fully ready for winter motoring.

So, we thought we’d share some top tips for being winter ready that will keep you safe and on the road to a fantastic Christmas.

Stay safe with screenwash

It may seem obvious, but checking that your screen wash is topped up is essential. If you’re travelling long distances on motorways (that are often covered with salt at this time of year), there’s nothing more dangerous than losing sight of the road due to a dirty windscreen.

Make sure you use a good quality screen wash and not just water in your car, as if temperatures plummet below zero the water will freeze and you’ll be left with nothing but a smeared windscreen when you reach for your wipers.

Carrying a large can of de-icer in your boot is always a good idea, and will speed up clearing your windscreen on those icy early mornings.

Don’t wing it with wiper blades

If you’re wiper blades are starting to wear, now’s the time to replace them. They’re subject to much more constant use throughout the winter months as we drive in worsening wind and rain, and can often become frozen to your windscreen glass and damaged when they are freed up.

Look for signs of damage such as the rubber strip coming loose on the underside of the wiper and get them replaced if this is the case.

Take care of tyres

Adequate tyre tread is vital all year round for general road safety, but in winter having sufficient tread will help provide additional grip should you find yourself driving on tricky surfaces such as snow and ice. Check your car’s handbook and ensure that your tyre pressure is correct, and have a read of our post on preparing your tyres for winter for more specific tips.

Assess your antifreeze

Anti-freeze (or coolant) helps to prevent the water in your radiator freezing in cold temperatures. You can use a tester kit to check your antifreeze, and a mixture of 50% antifreeze / 50% distilled water should be enough in most conditions.

Drive with diligence

Adapting your driving style slightly for the winter months is essential, and some simple changes can make things a whole lot easier (and safer).

Keep a dry pair of shoes in the car and change into them if you’ve been walking in snow or ice so that your feet don’t slip on the pedals, and pull away in second gear to avoid wheel spin if you’re struggling to gain traction.

If you’re driving up hill, wait until it is clear of other cars or leave plenty of distance from the car in front to avoid having to stop and getting stuck. Similarly, if you’re travelling downhill, reduce your speed before the hill and stick to a low gear to avoid having to over use the brakes. This article from The Telegraph also offers some more great tips for driving in snow and ice.

So there you have it, some of our best advice and top tips to ensure that your car is ready for the roads this winter. Stay safe!