A chilly spell is ready to hit the UK on Monday, with the Met Workplace predicting snowfall and freezing temperatures that might drop as little as -2C.
The upcoming chilly snap serves as a well timed reminder for drivers to examine their automobiles are match for icy roads. That is essential to not solely preserve drivers protected but in addition to keep away from important fines or penalty factors on their licences.
To assist the nation put together, the automobile consultants at Vertu have shared how drivers can examine their motors earlier than venturing out into freezing circumstances.
1. Usually examine your tyres
Your tyres should be in tip-top situation for driving in snow, because the terrain can turn out to be much more difficult to navigate safely.
The authorized minimal tread depth for automobile tyres is 1.6mm – nevertheless, it is strongly recommended that you simply change your tyres lengthy earlier than they attain this degree. So, examine your tyres at the least each two weeks, checking for cracks, bulges, blisters, and different indicators of harm.
Subsequent, be certain your tyre stress meets the beneficial tips in your car handbook. In case your tyres are over or under-inflated it may be a severe security hazard, affecting dealing with, grip, and braking distance, particularly on icy roads.
Failure to maintain your tyres accurately inflated may end in a effective, which could be as excessive as £2,500 in addition to three penalty factors per tyre.
2. Ensure you can see and could be seen
Snowy circumstances usually end in your visibility on the highway being impaired, so having absolutely functioning lights is significant.
If you’re caught driving with out working lights, you might obtain a effective of £100 and three factors in your licence. Examine your bulbs recurrently, testing all brake lights, headlights, fog lights, and indicators to make sure you could be seen in occasions of heavy snowfall.
3. Fully clear your windscreen earlier than any journey
Whereas it may be a ache to attend in your windscreen to defrost if you’re working late within the morning, keep away from the temptation to set off with any ice nonetheless on show.
If you’re caught driving with snow, ice, or frost in your windscreen, or together with your windscreen steamed up, you might be deemed as ‘utilizing a car in a harmful situation’, which carries a £2,500 effective and three penalty factors.
Clear any frost out of your windscreen utilizing de-icer and a scraper earlier than you hit the roads. In case your windscreen mists up if you are driving, activate the heating, slowly improve the temperature, after which change to air conditioning mode – it will take away any extra moisture within the air. Your home windows ought to quickly start to de-mist and offer you a clearer view forward.
4. High up your fluid ranges
Don’t neglect to examine on the inner workings of your automobile forward of a snowy interval too.
Anti-freeze, engine coolant, display wash, engine oil and energy steering fluid all want checking and topping up if ranges are low. When the climate will get worse, you need to make certain that your automobile can run as easily as potential.
If circumstances are set to be notably extreme, it’s also good observe to make sure that you have got at the least 1 / 4 of a tank of gas, in case of any delays or heavy site visitors.
5. Retailer some provides
Lastly, it’s worthwhile to do not forget that preparation is essential.
We suggest that you simply at all times preserve a winter package in your automobile, which incorporates the likes of de-icer, a scraper, a torch, a foldable shovel, heat garments, a blanket, water, and a few non-perishable meals objects.
These things will likely be invaluable to maintain you heat and comfy should you get delayed or break down in chilly or snowy circumstances.
