If you’re heading to the snow this year, these winter car safety tips will give you one less thing to worry about.
6 Top Winter Car Safety Tips to Keep You Safe on the Road
By following these tips, you can just focus on enjoying your holiday.
Create a Car Safety Kit
The first step towards winter car safety is to place a few essential items in the boot of your car. A standard emergency kit typically has things like a scraper and snowbrush, jumper cables, and a flashlight.
If you want to go the extra mile, consider adding things like a blanket, extra clothes, bottled water, snacks, and needed medication.
These might seem like overkill if you only plan on local Sydney driving. However, as soon as you venture into more rural areas, you’ll be glad to have them along.
Get Your Brakes Checked
Maybe Queenslanders don’t have to worry about icy roads in the winter. However, if you live in New South Wales or plan on venturing any farther south (perhaps for a weekend away in the Snowy Mountains), ice on the roads can be a real hazard.
One of our top winter car safety tips is to make sure your brakes are in top order to keep you and your family safe on the road.
Look after Your Battery
The colder the weather, the more likely you are to get a flat battery. It all comes down to the fact that when an engine gets colder, it simply takes more power to get it started.
Don’t get caught with a flat battery. Be sure to have your battery and charging system looked over before you embark on any winter road trips.
Refill Your Fluids
Before heading out on any sort of winter travel, you should make sure to replenish all of your car’s fluids.
This includes your windshield wiper fluid, coolant, and fuel tank. Your fuel tank should always be at least half full in the winter months to avoid moisture gathering in the fuel lines).
Once our Australian winter is in full swing, the lower air temperatures can cause the liquids in your car to get thicker and slower. So, it’s a good idea to top them up (or have your mechanic look after them) before you hit the road.
Don’t Neglect the Windscreen Wipers
Driving in winter weather can be extremely hazardous. Your sight is one of your best assets against disaster.
To help yourself out, be sure to partner with your mechanic to replace windscreen wiper blades that are in disrepair.
Consider Your Car’s Lighting
Winter means shorter days and reduced light for driving. Because of this, one of the best tips for winter car safety is ensuring your car’s lights are clear.
Any top auto shop (like the team at Sutherland) can spruce up cloudy headlights. They can also make sure they are properly aimed and see that your indicators are ready to go.
Do you need help getting your car road worthy this winter?
The friendly team at Sutherland Automotive is here to help. Feel free to get in touch today.
