Give your car a winter workout

The onset of winter can be bad news for motorists. Little light, bad weather and worse roads conspire to make driving tiring, unpleasant, and sometimes even dangerous.

Before setting off:

make sure that the car is warmed up, and has enough fuel

let someone know your intended movements

listen to traffic news and weather forecasts, and wear warm clothing

Naturally, the need for seasonal preparation also extends to the various systems that run the car. Davis-Knight explains: 'Make sure that the antifreeze in the car is fresh. Insufficient anti-freeze can cause cracks and overheating in the engine's cylinder block. It should be changed every two years due to the deterioration of the corrosion inhibitors, or according to manufacturer recommendations.'

Other things to do include:

make sure battery is in good condition

on cold mornings use a de-icer on windows, or a scraper

check that the screen wash is not clogged and that the bottle is topped up for use, and make sure that an additive is used to stop it freezing

check windscreen wipers for wear and replace them if necessary

make sure that all heaters and ventilation systems are working so that misting is minimised

give all external lights and mirrors a thorough once-over

headlamps should be correctly aligned

tyre tread depth should be at least 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tread and around the entire circumference, and there should be no cuts or cracks

spray damp inhibitor into the door locks to prevent seizing up

Once the car is ready for winter, you should make sure it is carrying emergency equipment so that, if the worst happens, you are ready too.

Useful supplies could include:

torch, spare batteries and bulbs

screen scraper / de-icer

jump leads

warning triangle

first-aid kit

'hands free' mobile phone / phone card / cash

blankets and warm jacket (in case of breakdown)

shovel (to clear snow if necessary)

fire extinguisher

rope (for towing if necessary)

road atlas, maps etc

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