Tips for Making Your Car Safer For Winter

Posted by: Auto Buff  /  Category: Car Maintenance Tips

Winter is coming, and making some changes to your car will make it safer and that means greater safety and fewer chances of ruining your car insurance premium and no claim bonus. Most of this winter preparation will not cost a lot of money, but other will. You should be prepared for some extra costs around Wintertime.

  • Tires.If there is any time to buy new tires, just before Winter comes is the best. Small amounts of rain after long hot summers become extremely dangerous. Oil and dirt that has built up over the warmer months will turn the roads into a skating rink. You should think about tires that have extra-tread and suit your environment. Obviously there are tire types, and some tyres are specifically designed for wet conditions. Think seriously about this investment as we move into winter. Your tires are the only point your car touches the road, and you want to make sure it is holding on tight.
  • Internal Temperature.More of a money saving issue, because you will not need your A/C during winter, it is worthwhile having it disconnected. Car air systems are not like your home air conditioner, as they can easily be disconnected (often by just removing an item that looks like a fan belt). This will mean considerable energy savings. Even when not in use, your air conditioning unit creates some drag on your engine. Note, your heating system is not a part of the air conditioning unit.
  • Engine. Your engine will perform very differently in colder weather. Warming up your engine sufficiently in the morning is essential. Make sure your engine has been serviced especially before the Winter months – be aware that engines will naturally run better in warmer months because the air and fuel mixture ignites better.
  • Rubber Floor Mats.A small change here can be a very important safety issue. The best rubber floor mats have additional anti-slip technology. You will keep the inside of your car cleaner, and you won’t be slipping on the accelerator or brake pedal.
  • Windows.If you can’t see properly, you will be in real trouble. Replacing your windscreen wipers before Winter is an absolute must. If you are in a car accident during the rain, and it is found your windscreen wipers were in very poor condition, you could even have trouble with your insurance claim. Believe it or not, this has happened. When cars are in particularly large accidents, the police and the insurance company will thoroughly inspect the vehicle for all causes. There are also modern spray solutions to clean your windows with that stop them from fogging up – another important issue.

The best insurance companies will have a list of Winter-to-do lists for their car owners. These lists do not come out of thin air, they are put together to avoid the accidents that have happened in the past. Insurance companies compile this data to calculate premiums and understand the main causes of incidents.

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Tags: accelerator, air conditioning unit, car air, car cleaner, car insurance, claim bonus, drag on, energy savings, fan belt, fuel mixture, home air conditioner, insurance premium, internal temperature, rubber floor mats, safety issue, skating rink, tyres, wet conditions, winter preparation, wintertime

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