Prepare your vehicle

• Get up at least 10 minutes early to give you time to prepare your vehicle.
• Clear all windows of snow and ice using de-icer and a scraper – do not set off with just a tiny hole cleared in the windscreen.
• Check the roof for snow before you drive – it can slip down over the windshield and obscure your view.
• Use a cigarette lighter to warm a key for a frozen lock. Don’t breathe on the lock, as the moisture will condense and freeze.
• Besides an ice scraper and de-icer, it’s worth carrying a mobile phone with fully charged battery, first-aid kit, tow rope, blankets, warm coat and boots, jumper leads, snow shovel, warning triangle, an old sack or rug and water repellent spray.
• Plan routes to main roads that have likely been plowed and sanded.
• Put safety before punctuality when the bad weather closes in. While it’s always a good idea to allow extra time in winter for your trip, drivers must accept the inevitability