According to the AA, you’re much more likely to break down in winter. Their busiest ever days were Monday, 4 January and Monday, January 20 in 2010, when they were called out to more than 28,000 people each day.

The causes were a combination of weather-related issues and the fact that people were using their cars often after a period of inactivity over the holidays.

We’ve put together our hints and tips on how best to prepare so you can avoid being one of the hundreds of thousands of motorists who will break down this winter. Or, if you are unlucky enough to break down or get stuck in traffic during the cold weather, at least you’ll be well prepared.

Check your car BEFORE the bad weather hits

The AA has a checklist that it advises you use to make sure your car stays roadworthy in winter.

We’re really happy to do any of these checks for you at Latimer Garage Services. Just get in touch (link to contact us page) to find out how we can help.

AA Winter Car Checklist

• Antifreeze – check coolant level regularly and, if required, top-up with a mixture of the correct type of antifreeze. Your garage should check concentration to ensure adequate cold temperature protection.
• Battery – the most common cause of winter breakdowns. A battery more than five years old may struggle in the cold – get it checked and replaced if necessary to avoid the inconvenience of an unplanned failure.
• Fuel – keep at least a quarter of a tank in case of unexpected delay.
• Lights – check and clean all lights regularly to make sure you can see and be seen clearly. Carry spare bulbs.
• Tyres – should have at least 3mm of tread for winter motoring. Consider winter tyres for improved safety. Check pressures at least every fortnight.
• Windscreen – reduce dazzle from the low sun by keeping the screen clean inside and out. Now is a good time to renew worn wiper blades.
• Screen wash – use a 50% mix of a good quality screen wash to reduce the chance of freezing in frosty weather.
• Locks and door seals – stop doors freezing shut with a thin coat of polish or Vaseline on rubber door seals. A squirt of water dispersant (WD-40) in locks will help stop them freezing.

Check your route before you travel

While some weather-based events (such as crashes and queues) will happen no matter how well prepared you are, you can help avoid problem areas by checking motoring websites before you travel. We’ve put a list of our favourites at the end of this blog.

Some GPS systems, and Google maps, also give route suggestions and timings based on live traffic information, so checking those before you set off, helps. They will also update during journeys, as new information comes in.

Look after you and your passengers

Just in case you do get stranded, or stuck in your vehicle for a long time, you should make up an emergency kit that you can keep in your boot or car at all times – not just during the winter. Hopefully you won’t need it, but if you do, you’ll be really pleased you made the effort!

The AA suggests you carry the following at all times in your car emergency kit:

Year-round essentials

• Fully-charged mobile phone and in-car charger
• Sunglasses – to deal with glare from the sun or snow
• Personal medication, if necessary
• Warning triangle
• Spare bulbs
• First aid kit
• Road atlas – in case of diversions or if your GPS or phone battery dies!
• Sat-nav or printed route for unfamiliar journeys
• Breakdown membership card

We’d also suggest:

• Emergency phone numbers – not just the emergency services, but trusted friends and family who can help from a distance
• Sun cream, blankets, wellingtons – depending on the time of year!

Because the weather is different in winter, your emergency kit in winter should be topped up with the following items:

Winter emergency kit

• Blanket, rug or sleeping bag
• Shovel
• Bits of carpet or thick cardboard to place under driven wheels to help regain traction on ice or snow
• Salt, sand or cat litter – to help clear snow and ice
• Reflective jacket(s)
• Ice scraper and de-icer
• Torch and batteries
• Tow rope
• Snow chains (if you live in a remote or rural area)
• Battery jump leads
• Bottled water
• Snacks – chocolate or cereal bars
• Extra screen wash

Then, when particularly bad weather is forecast, we’d recommend you only travel if absolutely necessary. If it is, then also add:

• Warm winter coat, scarf, hat, gloves and warm clothes (for each passenger)
• Waterproofs
• Sturdy boots
• Flask of hot drink

Of course most of this is common sense. The hardest part is having the discipline to make time in our busy lives to make sure we keep the year-round essentials kit up to date, and that we add the other items BEFORE the bad weather hits.

We hope our tips help you stay safe this winter, and that you won’t be one of the hundreds of thousands of motorists who breaks down in the UK over the winter period each year.

Contact us if you have any questions about winter vehicle checks, MOTs, services, repairs, or any other issue with your car or vehicle.

Contact us now to book in for a free winter check.