Motorists are being urged to check their vehicle is ready for cold conditions before the winter weather sets in.
Drivers are advised to carry out a several basic checks, which will take around five minutes.
By catching any problems early, North Yorkshire Police hopes motorists will have time to fix them before snow or ice sets in.
In around five minutes, you should be able to check:
- All your exterior light bulbs are working. In particular, check brake lights and all beam settings on your headlights as bulbs can blow due to suddenly being used more at this time of year.
- Check your wiper blades are pliable and are clearing your windscreen without streaking or juddering.
- Test your oil, radiator fluid and windscreen washer levels. If you’re unsure how to do this, check your owner’s manual.
- How much tread is on your tyres? Ideally, you should have at least 3mm of tread but the legal minimum is
1.6mm. This video shows how to check https://youtu.be/5E9EnJuUmfc Also ensure your tyre pressures are correct. - Carry a bottle of water for your washer reservoir and a can of de-icer.
- If you’re are going on a longer journey, take food, hot drinks, blankets and a fully-charged mobile phone. Always clear your windscreen properly of ice and snow before setting off.
- If you’re not confident carrying out these checks yourself, ask a mechanic at your local garage.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “This winter we’ll undoubtedly get called to a lot of road incidents involving ice and snow.
“Taking five minutes now to check your vehicle won’t just give you time to rectify any problems, it could also prevent you having a nasty crash when the cold weather sets in.”
For more tips on winter driving, visit www.northyorkshire.police.uk/winterdriving