Check your car

• Antifreeze – check coolant level regularly and, if required, top-up with a mixture of the correct type of antifreeze. Your garage should check concentration to ensure adequate cold temperature protection.
• Battery – the most common cause of winter breakdowns. A battery more than five years old may struggle in the cold – get it checked and replaced if necessary to avoid the inconvenience of an unplanned failure.
• Fuel – keep at least a quarter of a tank in case of unexpected delay.
• Lights – check and clean all lights regularly to make sure you can see and be seen clearly. Carry spare bulbs.
• Tyres – should have at least 3mm of tread for winter motoring. Consider winter tyres for improved safety. Check pressures at least every fortnight.
• Windscreen – reduce dazzle from the low sun by keeping the screen clean inside and out.  Now is a good time to renew worn wiper blades.
• Screen wash – use a 50% mix of a good quality screen wash to reduce the chance of freezing in frosty weather.
• Locks and door seals – stop doors freezing shut with a thin coat of polish or Vaseline on rubber door seals.  A squirt of water dispersant (WD-40) in locks will help stop them freezing.