The cold weather is well and truly here and if you’ve not ensured your vehicle is fully prepared for the winter weather, now is the best time to check.
The two most important things to consider when ensuring you’re ready for winter driving are your tyres and your battery.
There are many tyres out there to suit various seasons and weather conditions, some of which are unsuitable for winter driving. If your car is equipped with the wrong tyres (summer tyres, for example), this will be very dangerous when out on the roads. Batteries can struggle in the cold weather, with more people encountering a flat battery during winter, leaving them stranded.
Checking your battery health before winter driving will give you that extra peace of mind before your journey.
How does winter weather affect your battery?
Colder temperatures slow down chemical reactions within your battery, making it less efficient and sluggish throughout winter. Fully charged batteries should be fine even in freezing weather, however, batteries with low levels of charge can become irreversibly damaged in temperatures of -1 degrees and lower, as the water inside can freeze leading to the battery cutting out. This would lead to you needing to fit a new battery.
Maintaining your car’s battery throughout the year is important, especially during winter. If you notice anything out of the ordinary when you start your car up, it could indicate a battery issue, especially if it sounds jolted or slow. Having your battery professionally inspected before winter or during winter is the best way to find out if your battery is fully healthy, ready for a cold driving season and will give you the opportunity to get any identified issues fixed before they cause you a problem.
How does winter affect your tyres?
Roads can become slippery and harder to stop in winter months. Stopping distances need to be a lot longer in the cold weather to allow time for the car to safely slow down and stop, without skidding or slipping on black ice or even snow. If your current tyres aren’t suitable for winter driving or have become worn down throughout the year, they won’t be as effective and safe in these harsher conditions.
Checking your tyre tread is within a safe range is the first way to ensure your tyres are up to the job. A deeper tread is best as it means the tyre can gather more snow and give more grip on the snow and ice. To check your tyres are at the minimum legal requirement, just place a 20p coin in the tread of your tyre. If you can’t see the outer band of the coin, you are within the legal limit and won’t need to replace your tyres.
Specialist winter tyres are always recommended for maximum safety in winter conditions as they are designed to provide enhanced grip and safety in ice, snow and wet weather for a safe drive.
Asda Tyres have a wide range of tyres from leading brands to suit all cars and budgets to help you prepare for winter. Find the right tyres for you today and enjoy safe and comfortable driving in the cold winter months to come.