Safety: Prepare you car for winter challenges now

Road safety charity the IAM is offering weekly motoring tips from Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger.

This week, as forecasters predict a hard winter, he is advising motorists on preparing their cars for the cold season.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “Now is the time to give your car a health-check before winter conditions take their toll. Bad weather can strike quickly, and more severely than you expect, so it’s really important to be ready.”

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Peter suggests some easy tips to prepare your car for winter:

l In a UK winter you are more likely to encounter wind and rain, so make sure your windscreen wipers are in good condition and that you clean the inside of the windscreen regularly

l Do a proper check of your vehicle - particularly the tyres - top up your washer fluid and make sure last year’s ice scraper and de-icer are up to the job

l The legal minimum for tyre tread in the UK is 1.6mm, but for optimum safety start looking for replacements if the depth is below 3mm

l Check all your lights

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l Pack an emergency kit, including a warm coat, high visibility jacket, some food and water, a good pair of boots, de-icer and scraper, a torch, a spade and a mobile phone with a well-charged battery. Remember to store your emergency breakdown number.

l Peter said: “Many roads are still pot-holed after last winter so having a well-maintained car, and paying particular attention to your tyres, is going to be extremely important.”

To help drivers stay safe this winter, the IAM has launched a new website, drivingadvice.org.uk, with traffic updates, weather forecasts and tips on how to drive safely in winter.

Tips cover rain, snow, ice, fog and wind – everything you can expect in a typically unpredictable British winter. Check it out before you travel.

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