The temperature has plummeted, our hours of daylight are shorter and it’s nearly Christmas; but this means we need to be careful and safe when driving. Winter can be a magical time of year; however, this also means an increased chance of ice and/ or snow on our roads.

It is not just snow and ice that can bring hazardous driving conditions during the UK winter. With temperatures below 7 °C, this can affect your car’s performance. This may come as no surprise, but the majority of car accident claims are made during the winter months. Mainly due to longer periods of darkness, rain, damp and fog, all of which contribute in making winter driving less safe.

In this blog, we shall be outlining some key winter driving tips, as well as detail how you can make sure your tyres are safe to use this winter.

Winter Driving Tips:

The first tip for driving safely in the winter is to always be prepared. It is essential to keep some winter provisions in the car in case you get stranded such as a blanket, shovel, warm clothes (jacket and boots), ice scraper, deicer and bottled water. Also, it is advisable to keep at least half a tank of fuel in your vehicle at all times.

The second tip on our list is to always remember to take extra care. When driving in wintry conditions, there are three key things to remember: slow down in icy or wet conditions; triple check that the road is clear around you when making any manoeuvres and drive slowly and smoothly; and, lastly, ensure your car is in good working order and that your brakes and tyres are not worn.

Tyre Safety Tips:

Driving this time of year can be dangerous, it is important to be aware of the risks and potential hazards you may encounter. To ensure safety on the road this winter, we have compiled a list of tyre safety tips you can follow.

• Make sure your tyres have adequate tread depth. You can check you are safe and legal by taking the 20p test
• Ensure your tyres are properly inflated. It is advisable to check these at least once a month, and particularly before any long journeys
• Check the condition of your tyres. Are there any lumos, bulges, cracks or objects embedded in the tread that need removing?
• Don’t forget your spare tyre
• Consider fitting winter weather tyres during the winter period. Winter tyres provide much better safety and grip when the temperature falls below 7 °C
• Visit your nearest tyre dealer for a tyre safety check

If you are based in Birmingham or Solihull, Longbridge Tyres make an ideal solution to ensure tyre safety during the winter months, particularly if you are looking for new tyres, replacement tyres or performance tyres

Contact Us

If your vehicle needs new tyres, contact Longbridge Tyres today. We cater to a large customer base with different requirements – whether that is for cars, vans, 4x4s, and even performance vehicles. You can contact our team by calling 0121 457 7582 or filling out our online contact form.