Prepare for winter driving

With the winter weather now setting in and a real potential of snow this week, it’s important for drivers to be prepared for some pretty dangerous driving conditions. Mark Leister, of Leister’s Garage, states, “It’s always better, and cheaper, to stop problems before they happen. There are things that you can do now to prepare for bad weather.” Mark suggests using the following checklist -

Anti-freeze - add anti-freeze to your car radiator

Battery - ensure your battery is fully charged

Lights - make sure all lights are working - including fog lights

Tyres - ensure they have plenty of tread depth and are filled to the correct air pressure

Wipers - change blades if they’re worn

Emergency pack - keep a pack in the boot of your car which should contain the following - Ice scraper and de-icer, warm clothes and boots, torch, food and drink, first-aid kit, jump leads, spade

Before you set off, consider whether the journey is necessary - the best way to stay safe is to stay off the roads. Also, check weather forecasts and traffic news and inform someone of your destination and expected arrival time.

If you get into trouble, do not use a mobile phone while driving - either ask a passenger to call or pull over. If stuck in snow, do not spin the wheels or rev the vehicle as this will dig it further into the snow. Instead, put the vehicle in as high a gear as possible and gently manoeuvre forwards and backwards to creep out of the snow. Do not abandon your vehicle as it could hold up rescue vehicles and snowploughs. Stay with your vehicle until help arrives

Leister’s Garage of Lowtown, Pudsey and Kingsway, Ossett offer a Winter Health Check for just £9.99 to check that your car is prepared for the bad weather. This safety check includes a visual inspection of your car’s tyres, lights, wipers, brakes, battery and vital fluids serving brakes and power steering. Call Mark on 0113 3180495 to book your Health Check now.