5 Things to Keep in Your Car This Winter

  • Barrowford MOT Centre

Now the kids have been sent back to school for the Autumn term, you know that soon the school run and your commute to work might turn into the more Arctic of expeditions. AS the mercury starts to plummet, it’s time to start thinking about carrying some extra things in your car. That way, you’re prepared for the most common problems you might run into!

Here’s a list of things Barrowford MOT recommend keeping in your car whenever it gets cold. Of course, for even harsher conditions, you’ll need to prepare for snow and ice as well – and trust us, we should know!

De-icer

Like most people, we’re guessing that you’re quick to grab the kettle when you leave the house in the Winter to a frozen car! But  what you might not know is that this action can actually have a damaging effect on your windscreen? The quick change in temperature can encourage cracks to form in the glass making it more susceptible to breakages.
Instead, pick up a couple of cans of de-icer and keep one at home and one in the car. That way, when it comes to leaving work, or getting in your car after a long day out of the house, you won’t waste time waiting for that windscreen to defrost, not to mention fuel keeping the car running to get warm! It’s a good idea to keep a pair of gloves tucked up next to your de-icer too, to keep your hands warm whilst getting your car good to go.

Tyre inflator

As well as keeping your tyres at the correct pressure, a tyre inflator can help you get going again if you have a slow puncture. These days, most also come complete with torches or built-in USB chargers, so you can see what you’re doing and charge your phone in an emergency, too!

It’s also a good idea to carry some jump leads. The winter can be tough on car batteries, and being able to jump start your car can be the difference between driving home and waiting for rescue!

Ice scraper

This one should be pretty self-explanatory, but you’d be surprised how many people still choose to wreck bank cards by scraping the ice off the windscreen with them. Be prepared and make sure you’ve got a proper ice scraper in the glove box before winter comes.

SatNav/Map

You may be asking why when you know where you’re going, but consider the likelihood of road closures or blocked routes due to accidents throughout the Winter caused by poor visibility and icy conditions. Keeping a map in the car means you can work out your way home, better yet, if you have a sat nav, it’ll automatically change your route to get you where you need to go!

If you have a sat nav with traffic updates, it’ll even help you to avoid any jams and get you to your destination as quickly as possible.

Phone charger

Due to the sad demise of Britain’s phone boxes, it’s now more advisable than ever for drivers to have means of communication should the worse happen. Just about everyone has a mobile phone these days, and they can really help to get you out of trouble if you break down or get lost. However, it’s not going to do you much good if it’s not charged up. Plug in to your car’s USB port and off you go!

As well as keeping these extra things in your car, it’s also a good idea to keep an eye on things like your car’s bulbs, wiper blades, battery and fluid levels. Not sure how to check? Barrowford MOT can check for you, contact us today to find out more about Winter car health.

 

 

 


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