Keep all your seasonal driving tips in one place with our handy checklist
From top-down summer adventures to mornings when you head out with an ice scraper firmly in hand, driving conditions are different at every time of year. Spring, summer, autumn and winter all present their individual challenges for motorists. Here’s our list of things to check whenever you take a drive.
1. Check the weather forecast. Whether it’s a scorching sun or heavy rain beating down, changes in the weather will naturally impact on the way you drive - or whether it’s safe to drive at all. If in doubt, don’t take the risk.
2. Have everything you need in the car and ready before you set off. Depending on the time of year, you might want to have sunglasses or snow chains on hand. When it gets dark more quickly in the evenings, a high-vis jacket and a warning triangle are great things to keep in the boot, just in case.
3. Pay attention to your car. Hot and cold both have an effect on how your vehicle runs, and more sudden changes in the temperature could damage parts and fluids. This might happen when heading from wintry roads into a warm car wash or vice versa.
4. Keep your fluids topped up. You don’t want to be short on antifreeze on cold mornings or low on oil at any time. When the road is wet or icy and your stopping distance is increased, the right amount and compression of the brake fluid is essential, for example.
5. Keep your car clean. Don’t let ice, leaves, mud or other debris build up on your tyres or anywhere across the vehicle’s body. You should pay just as much attention to the inside of the car if it’s a little messy, so you know exactly where everything is should you need it.
