Staying safe on the roads is important at any time of year, but as bad weather can make driving conditions particularly treacherous during the winter months, Well Dunn has put together a checklist of what to carry in your car during winter.
Credit Jennyrotten Flickr http://bit.ly/1FXyuaj
- Warm coat or blanket – This may sound obvious, but if you breakdown and you’re stuck for several hours, it is essential that you keep warm.
- Reflective jacket – If you have broken down on a motorway or busy road, it is safest if you get out of your car and walk a safe distance from the roadway. In such an instance – especially if it’s dark – it is important that you are highly visible to motorists.
- Shovel – Although this may sound overly cautious, if your car gets stuck in snow you will be extremely thankful if you have packed a shovel in your car, which would enable you to dig your tyres out. Many retailers now stock collapsible snow shovels.
- Snacks – If you have to wait for a prolonged period of time for a breakdown company to assist you, snacks will help sustain you during a long wait.
- Bottled water – As above, very handy to have if you are stuck for a long time.
- Torch – If you breakdown or get stuck in the snow at night, having a torch to hand can prove extremely useful, particularly if you’re in a rural area.
- Phone – Of course many of us have our mobile phones with us at all times these days, but it definitely pays to make sure your phone is fully charged before setting off on a long journey, or if the weather is particularly bad.
- First aid kit – Although if you are involved in an accident your first port of call should always be to call an ambulance, you may not have a phone with you or it may have run out of charge. Equally, you could be in an isolated, rural area, so having a first aid kit in your car could prove to be a vital precaution worth taking.
- Scraper – If you have been somewhere and come back to your car has been parked for a long period of time, your windscreen is likely to freeze in bad weather. Having a scraper in your car will ensure you can quickly and safely, get back on the road.
- De-icer – When you’re trying to get to work on time, a frozen windscreen is the last thing you need, so always make sure you have a bottle of de-icer packed in your car.
Happy motoring!
