MOTORING NEWS - The last two winters have seen some of the coldest weather conditions, so being prepared for the second half of the winter is important. The British Environmental Transport Agency (ETA) has produced a simple guide to help prepare your car for the winter.
During the winter you will use more windscreen wiper fluid so make sure that you add anti-freeze or windscreen washer fluid anti-freeze mix to your car's water bottle – you don't want to find yourself stuck behind a lorry trying to clean your windows only to find your washer liquid has frozen.
Consider carrying a winter driving survival kit that will make your life easier when starting the car should the worst happen. The ETA suggests: a torch, ice scraper, windscreen de-icer, starter cables, a small shovel, some extra windscreen washer fluid, some non-perishable food, a blanket, first aid kit and a tow rope.
Tyres
Checking the condition of your tyres is important throughout the year, but when there is rain or even ice on the road it is vital.
When checking the tyres first make sure that the tyre treads are the correct depth - the ETA recommends a tread depth of more than 3mm for winter. Secondly, make sure the tyres are inflated correctly as the cold weather can lower tyre pressure.
Many people don't realise that the most common cause of breakdown during the winter is battery failure. Most car batteries don't last more than five years, so if your battery is older than this get it checked by a local garage. If you feel your battery is struggling to start your car then charge it overnight.
Petrol
Keep your fuel tank topped up in the winter as you never know when you're going to need that extra fuel. If you are passing a garage and the gauge is nearing red - fill up! Try to conserve fuel if stuck in traffic. Don't just sit with the engine on - run it enough to make sure you are warm, then turn it off.
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