Car insurance is not only a legal requirement, but it can be very helpful for breakdown recovery and collisions caused by bad weather. It\u2019s not a miracle worker though, and the best car insurance policy in the world can\u2019t prevent you from running into problems in the first place.<\/p>\n
Give yourself the best chance of a smooth journey whatever the winter weather throws at you with this advice from amb insurance.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>Get your car winter ready Tyres\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 Shallow tread and wet or icy conditions do not mix well. Check your treads and look for any cracks and bulges which may signal the need for a new tyre. If you live somewhere remote that\u2019s prone to heavy snowfall, you might want to consider winter tyres for greater control and traction, or snow socks \u2013 stretchy fabric covers that slip over the two drive wheels for added grip on snow and ice.<\/p>\n Battery\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 Car batteries can become flat if your car is not driven for a while, but especially suffer in cold damp weather where they have to work that much harder to start the engine on a cold morning. Check your battery on a weekly basis during the winter months.<\/p>\n Heaters, ipods and sat navs can drain the battery quickly if left on when the engine\u2019s not running, so it\u2019s best to switch them off before switching off your engine, and keep them off when you come to re-start your car.<\/p>\n Wiper blades<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 If you want your wiper blades to withstand heavy rain, snow and hail to keep your windscreen clear, they need to be in good order. These are cheap to replace and easy to change, and vital for your visibility. Use lukewarm water to part them from a frozen windscreen to avoid unnecessary damage.<\/p>\n Essential solutions \u2013 If you\u2019re setting off on a long journey, you need to make sure you have plenty of fuel, sufficient oil, coolant, screen wash and anti-freeze. You don\u2019t know how long you may get held up in bad weather or heavy traffic, and by checking all these solutions you\u2019ll further avoid becoming stranded through lack of fuel, a frozen engine, and poor visibility.<\/p>\n Your winter emergency kit<\/strong> Your emergency kit should include:<\/p>\n Before setting off<\/strong> If you don\u2019t have any de-icer, use lukewarm water to clear your windscreen. Boiling water could crack the glass.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t leave your engine running unattended while warming up your car as you run the real risk of it being stolen.<\/p>\n Plan your route and check the weather forecast before you go. Things may change while you\u2019re on the road, but most car radios can be set to give travel updates for your area.<\/p>\n If you have pulled over, you can also check the Highways Agency and RAC for traffic updates, and the MetOffice for weather information.<\/p>\n Driving in the snow Leave a greater gap between you and the car in front to allow for reduced brake effectiveness, accelerate gently, and keep your speed down.<\/p>\n Compact snow in wheel tracks will be more slippery than fresh snow so try and avoid driving in these on a road that hasn\u2019t been gritted.<\/p>\n If you do find yourself moving into a skid, gently steer into it, keep both hands on the steering wheel, and don\u2019t break suddenly.<\/p>\n Most cars are not designed to be waterproof and don\u2019t cope well driving through deep water.<\/p>\n When driving through water keep your speed steady to push the water in front of the car and test your brakes afterwards. If you break down in the water, restarting your engine could cause further damage, so it\u2019s better to call your breakdown provider.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re unsure of water depth, it\u2019s best to avoid altogether then running the risk of causing serious and expensive damage to your engine, something that you will have to pay for if the insurer decides that it could have been avoided.<\/p>\n Driving through water connected to swollen rivers or becks is extremely dangerous and should never be attempted.<\/p>\n Keep your speed down in shallow standing water so you\u2019re tyres don\u2019t lose contact with the road. This is known as aquaplaning and will cause your steering to feel very light. If this happens, ease off the accelerator until you regain control.<\/p>\n Driving In Fog Keep your headlights dipped, and listen out for any oncoming traffic at junctions by winding down your window.<\/p>\n For more tips on how to avoid having to make a motor insurance claim this winter, the team at amb insurance would be very happy to help you further.<\/p>\n Call us on 01782 740044 or email info@ambinsurance.co.uk to find out more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Car insurance is not only a legal requirement, but it can be very helpful for breakdown recovery and collisions caused by bad weather. It\u2019s not a miracle worker though, and the best car insurance policy in the world can\u2019t prevent you from running into problems…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":499,"featured_media":24724,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/strong>This doesn\u2019t mean fitting a snowplough but cold snaps can put a lot further strain on your vehicle. Just a few tweaks and top ups here and there can help you see your car through the colder weather.<\/p>\n
\nStock up on the essentials before winter sets so you have them to hand just in case.<\/p>\n\n
\nGive yourself enough time before you set off to completely de-ice your car, remove any snow from your roof and clear any frost or snow from your lights.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Driving in a higher gear means your tyres are turning slower which reduces the risk of slips and slides. If you need to slow down it\u2019s better to shift down gear rather than suddenly breaking, as this can lead to skidding. Moving off in second gear can reduce wheel slip when you\u2019re beginning your journey.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>If visibility is less than 100m, your headlights need to be on. Familiarise yourself with your front and rear fog lights before setting off.<\/p>\n