It may seem strange to write about winter motoring in October, but its best to start preparing now. Many of us use our cars on an everyday basis and need to budget for repairs and maintenance, so to plan ahead makes a lot of sense.

I recently purchased new tyres for my everyday car. I have been trying to get into the cycle of the tyres being changed around this time of year. It does not have to be all of the tyres, just the ones that drive the car – often front or rear depending on the model. This means if snow does arrive you have deeper tread and a better chance of the car gripping in to pull you through any nasty sections of road.

A weak battery is at risk of losing its charge completely
A key element to check on a car, prior to winter, is the battery – something we take for granted. We turn a key and the car instantly starts. In winter time, a battery that is getting weak is at risk of losing its charge completely and is a common cause as to why we see motorists stranded by the side of the road in cold conditions.

You can get your battery health checked at your local garage or car battery supplier, or with some careful planning you can try to get your MOT renewal to line up prior to winter. This way you would have a great chance to get an overall health check completed on your car before the bad weather sets in.

Buy de-icer, a windscreen scraper and a tow rope
A pre-winter trip to the local automotive supplier is also sensible. As for basics, buy some de-icer and a new windscreen scraper (yes, I too have used a plastic card out of my wallet in the past and it’s a quick route to very cold fingers!). A tow rope is also a good idea – buy one that suits the weight of your car (the manufacturers book that came with the car will list this).

A little folding spade is also great to have in the car and has helped me in the past clear around the drive wheels to help get the car moving again. Put a torch in the car and some extra layers. Often my car will have fleeces, gloves, some sensible footwear and a hat in the boot all winter.

Plan your journey
The important thing is to plan your journey. We have 24-hour access to accurate weather forecasts via our mobiles, computers, television and radio. Don’t just think about the journey to your destination, but can you also get home too? I have driven to work and it has snowed heavily whilst I have been sat in the office, creating a journey home that was dangerous to say the least. That made me think differently and now I take work home with me during the winter months to ensure I can still work if the weather is likely to get bad. On wintery roads “fail to prepare and prepare to fail” is very true!