Top 3 Winter Driving Tips
As the colder months approach, road safety is firmly at the forefront of our minds. From rain to snow, winter brings driving conditions to deter even the most confident drivers from venturing out. Our Winter driving tips will help by preparing you and your vehicle, you’ll feel ready for anything tis Winter. Get confident in the driving seat this year with handy Winter driving tips from Fox.
1. PREPARE YOUR CAR FOR WINTER DRIVING
Engine oil, anti-freeze and windscreen wiper fluid are all essential for keeping you safe during winter.
Make sure that you’re topped up on all three of these before you set off and remember that we include a top-up of anti-freeze and screen wash with our free winter check. You can also check out our home safety checks in this article
Clear the ice. No one likes scraping the ice from their windscreen first thing in the morning, but good visibility is vital. Spray de-icer spray evenly before scraping away the ice/snow, and pop your windscreen heater on a warm temperature while you do it.
If you’re all out of de-icer spray, put some warm water into a jug or bucket and pour over your car. Make sure the water is only lukewarm as hot water could crack your windscreen.
2. TWEAK YOUR TECHNIQUE
Different weather conditions can call for different handling. Start using these Winter driving techniques to improve your road safety, no matter the weather:
RAIN
– Reduce your speed and extend your braking distance.
– If you do find yourself skidding, turn into the direction you’re skidding in. For example, if your back wheels are turning out to the right, steer to the right and avoid slamming on the brakes.
SNOW
– Accelerate more gently, and change gears earlier than usual.
– Pull away in second gear to help reduce wheel slip.
– Try to maintain a steady speed and avoid braking unnecessarily– especially when on hills.
FOG
– Turn on your fog lights if visibility is 100 metres or less. It’s illegal to use your fog lights without reason, so make sure they’re necessary.
– Reduce speed and extend your stopping gap between you and the next car to reduce the risk of a collision.
– Avoid using your full beam – it’ll reflect off the fog and impair visibility even more.
3. BOOK A FREE WINTER SAFETY CHECK
Your car needs to be as ready for the road as you are. We offer a free safety check service that covers your tyres, antifreeze level and more.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Light bulbs
Essential for keeping you visible in dreary conditions, your light bulbs are essential in winter. They can also be an MOT fail if they’re not up to scratch, so we’ll check all external light bulbs as part of the check.
Plus, if you have a lightbulb out and you’re part of the loyalty scheme, we’ll replace one for free.
Tyres
According to Kia, a staggering 48% of car accidents every year are a result of skidding. Despite this, over 10 million motorists could have been driving with illegal tyres in 2016*. We’ll check both the tread (it should be 3mm minimum) and pressure to minimise your risk of skidding. If you’re not sure how, take advantage of the free tyre check available at Fox.
Brakes
We advise you to use your brakes less in cold and icy conditions (using gears to slow down is much safer), but we’ll check that your discs and pads are healthy enough to get you through until your next service or MOT. We’ll look at the wear on the brake pads, and the general condition of your discs.
Battery
Throughout the year, car batteries are the main culprit when it comes to breakdowns, and this only increases during winter. We’ll check your battery level and report back to make sure you’re not left in the cold.
Wiper Blades
Wiper blades and screen wash are a must-have on a rainy day. We’ll check that your car’s blades are working as they should and we’ll top up your screen wash for free too.
Antifreeze
Anti-freeze keeps everything ticking around the engine, prevents water-based fluids from freezing in the engine and raises the boiling point of engine coolant to avoid overheating. We’ll check your antifreeze level and top it up for free.
BOOK NOW
*According to research carried out by TyreSafe.