Sub-Zero Seasonal Tips for Britain's Drivers

In the wake of one of the mildest autumns in generations, snow and ice alerts are now kicking in for the UK in the lead up to Christmas.

The warnings are nerve-jangling reminders of 2010’s cold snap, which triggered pandemonium across the country’s road networks, and led hundreds, if not thousands, of frantic drivers to ditch their motors.

Unsurprisingly, Arctic weather seriously swells the odds of car breakdowns and collisions. Last year’s wintry weather proved this as roadside-assistance organisations strained to cope with masses of vehicles going wrong. So, with this in mind, Car Throttle has the following guidance for you, so you – and your car - can be prepared for the sub-zero season ahead:

Groundwork

You must set aside additional time for your trip, so get up earlier than normal. Take a mobile phone, ice scraper and de-icer with you, as well as a torch, first-aid kit and warning triangle for long journeys. Avoid rural routes as they will probably be clogged-up with the white stuff. Today’s cars, with good insulation and climate control, entice us to travel light – but ensure you have a decent coat and boots with you.

Vision & visibility

The low wintry sun can effectively blind you, especially when the rays bounce off glistening snow and ice. Make sure your windscreen is spotless and use a suitable additive to trim down the possibility of your wiper fluid freezing – don’t make the gaffe of using ordinary antifreeze. Test out your headlights on a regular basis so that you are 100 percent sure they work okay. In bad visibility you can use fog lights as well, but make sure they don’t blind other motorists.

Tyres

Before you set off on your four wheels, make sure your tyres are inflated to the correct level and check out their overall condition and tread depth. In the winter it is suggested you have 3mm of tread at the very least. That’s considerably more than the legal threshold of 1.6mm. Carry a spare tyre and make sure you know how to change a wheel if possible. Dropping tyre pressures to get traction doesn’t work and decreases stability – so don’t be tempted. You only need snow chains in extreme weather conditions but if you live in an isolated rural community with deep snow, make certain you know how to put them on. Snow chains will just chew up the road if they’re used in milder conditions.

Driving

In any cold snap, drive like you have your Granny in the back. Drive like that because stopping distances are up to 10 times longer in ice-cold weather. Don’t thrust your car into sudden manoeuvres and use second gear when setting off to nip wheel spins in the bud. Put your right foot on the brake lightly and try to go up hills at stable speeds. If you get caught-out, use a spade to get rid of excess snow and put an old mat under the tyres to get on your way again.

Battery/electrics

Using windscreen wipers, lights and heaters is vital in the winter, but this will drain the battery, so be prepared to replace it. Try not to keep your car’s electrics on any longer than required – switch heated windows off when they are de-misted and keep the heater fan on a low setting to preserve power.

Antifreeze

Inspect your antifreeze levels before the chill sets in. Engine parts most likely to crack or ice over are the water pump, radiator and cylinder block. Don’t mingle various types of antifreeze as this could lead to sludge building up in the engine.