Winter ready! – the essentials

The weather is unusually mild for this time of year – we even recorded the warmest November day with temperatures topping 22.3C in Trawsgoed, Wales.  But don’t be fooled – winter is coming! We are fast approaching the frostbiting nights of winter as forecasters warn us of a big freeze which is just a fortnight away.

Contrary to popular belief, there are actually less road casualties in the winter according to 2014 government reports, however this is down to road users driving more sensibly (as expected) and less people using the roads, with many choosing not to make those unnecessary trips to the shop. However periods of bad weather do make driving conditions much more dangerous for road users with slippery surfaces and reduced visibility.

So here at Revive! we thought it would be a good time to make sure you and your car are Winter Ready! We will be writing weekly blogs to help you stay frosty in preparation for some potentially treacherous winter driving conditions. So stay tuned folks!

As the temperature starts to plummet, it becomes even more important for you and your car to be equipped with the all year round essentials which could save you from avoidable trouble. After all, the last thing you want is for a preventable accident to expose you to the winter cold.

The all year round essentials!

Below we have listed the things which we think you should have with you on every journey, whatever the weather. Remember, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

So here are the all year round essentials when out on the road:

• Sunglasses – although the British winter time is notoriously gloomy, do not underestimate the value of a pair of sunglasses. Be sure to avoid the glare from the sun and the snow
• Spare bulbs – make sure you can see as well as be seen
• First aid kit
• Sat-nav or road map
• Tyre pressure gauge
• Jumper cables – because your car can always have a melt down at the most inappropriate times.
• Torch
• Fully charged mobile phone with an in car charger
• Warning triangle

If you can think of any more top tips to get Winter Ready, we’d love to hear from you. Please drop us a comment on Facebook here, or you can even tweet us here!

Keep your eyes peeled for next week’s Winter Ready blog which will take a look at what you need to be checking to ensure your car is safe to drive. Do you know exactly what you should be checking?

Make sure you are Winter Ready with Revive! and drive safely!