Getting your car ready for the winter is really important. My teenager passed her test in the spring and this will be her first winter driving. It makes me a little nervous, but I am glad that she now has six months independant driving under her belt. Along with three parking fines! It is a fast learning curve!
We bought her car for Christmas last year and we are thrilled that it just passed its MOT again- you never know with an older car. I am happy this will now see her through until she heads off to University. However we have been educating her on what she needs to know about driving in wintery conditions.
Tyres
Bald tyres can land you in big trouble. If the tread depth on your wheels isn’t above the legal minimum of 1.6mm (which applies across the central three-quarters of the tyre around the entire circumference), you risk fines of £2,500 and three penalty points per tyre. You can see if your tyres meet this standard using the ‘20p test’. Simply stand one of these coins in the tread groove. If you can see its outer edge, it’s time to get new tyres. Also, bear in mind that many safety experts recommend changing your tyres when you hit a tread depth of 3mm to maintain safe braking distances, especially in adverse weather. We have changed Chloe’s tyres so we know they are all fine.
Battery
Flat batteries are one of the most common causes of breakdowns in the UK. Often the age of the battery is to blame. Because they lose their charging capability over time, older batteries tend to be less reliable, especially in colder weather. So, if you’re concerned about the charging capability or age of your car’s battery, don’t leave things to chance when you’re preparing for a long trip. By getting technicians to carry out a thorough check at Kwik-Fit , you can find out if any parts of your battery charging and starting systems need to be replaced.
Windscreen Wipers
Something many of us forget to check is the wipers. I found out on the bypass once that mine had stopped functioning. I had to pull over in a heavy rainstorm and waait for the rain to stop. Not always practical in the winter! Don’t make the same mistake as me.
Lights
Now that the morning and evenings are darker it is important to check your lights are in full working order. To avoid being pulled over by the police and potentially putting yourself and other road users at risk, it’s essential to ensure that all of your lights are working, including your brake and reversing lights, indicators, headlights and cabin lights. These checks are quicker and easier with two people, so if you can, get someone to help you test your lights while you apply the brakes, reverse gear and indicators. Also, be aware that indicators blink at double speed when a bulb has gone to notify the driver, so this is something to watch out for. Again I didn’t know this about the double double speed at first and wandered what the noise was!
Make sure that you carry out these saftey checks each autumn to ensure that you remain safe on the road.
