During the autumn and winter months, Autotest offers free of charge winter checks for your vehicle, so please pop in to make sure your car is safe.

 

Please make sure you’re safe on the roads by following these simple tips:

Clean & Visible
Keep your lights and windows clean, so that you can see and be seen on these dim winter days.

Top Up
It’s important to check your coolant levels and anti-freeze. If you’re not sure how, pop in and we’ll do it for you, free of charge.

Tyre Care
Keep your tyre pressures up – remember they will go down in cold weather, so if you haven’t checked them for a while, now would be a good time to do so.

Widen the Gap
Keep your distance – tyres have less grip in cold, damp weather so your braking distances will be longer. If you’re tyres are getting worn down, consider replacing them – even if they’re still legal their performance won’t be as good.

Time to Think
On snow and ice leave a much bigger gap than you think you need. Your car will keep moving long after you have applied the brakes!

Slow & Steady
Again, on snow and ice try to do everything more gently than usual – drive more slowly, and steer, brake and accelerate gently and gradually. That way you’ll keep control of the vehicle and are more likely to avoid skidding.

Know Your Slide
If you skid, ease off the power gently (don’t brake sharply) and steer in the direction of the skid – if the car is going to the left, steer to the left.

Cold & Hot Don’t Mix
Don’t use hot water from a kettle to defrost your windscreen – you’ll crack it.

Be Secure
Don’t leave your car engine running unattended to warm it up - thieves look for unattended cars with the engines running in cold weather and your insurance won’t cover you.

‘Cold’ Spots
Remember that even if the roads seem to be free of ice, bridges will have a colder road temperature due to the cold air circulating underneath them and can often be icy when other roads are not.

Snow Patrol
If you’re having trouble getting moving in snow, trying rocking the car back and forth by shifting between first (or drive) and reverse. Alternatively, if you have a rear wheel drive car, try gently applying the handbrake to prevent the wheels spinning and losing grip. If you have a front wheel drive automatic, you can brake gently with your left foot. Remember to release the brake when you get moving!

Be Responsible
Please consider if your journey is important before venturing out in snow and ice. Remember, even if you are happy driving in adverse conditions, the traffic is likely to be worse in wintry weather. The above tips are designed to be helpful but please bear in mind that Autotest cannot accept any responsibility for any problems you may encounter following the above tips.