Essentials to Keep In Your Car During the Winter Months by Aiden Brooks
Bad weather conditions can have an impact on your vehicle; this could leave you stranded or broken down. When travelling in the winter months, you never know what might happen. Here are some things you should keep inside your car during the winter, no matter where you’re driving. If you’re going on holiday and leaving your car at the airport, you may need these items to ensure you can safely drive your car home after your holiday.
Car phone charger
Running out of phone battery and being unable to call emergency service or roadside assistance when you need help can be very scary. Always remember to keep a car phone charger in your vehicle. This way, you can contact a breakdown recovery company or another emergency service if needed. There might be times when you can’t get a signal; if this is the case, you will need to walk to the nearest emergency telephone. Many people also rely heavily on maps on their mobile phones to get them to their destination or find the way home if they’re lost. A car charger will keep your phone charged and ready to get you home when you need to use the maps.
Warm clothing and blankets
It's a good idea to keep warm clothes in your car, especially if you’ve been on holiday to a hot country. You’re more likely to feel the cold and be unprepared for the temperature change. A warm coat, hat and gloves are a good idea to help you keep warm in the event of a breakdown or when you return to your car from a trip away. A blanket is also good for extreme emergencies where you might need to spend a few hours in your car or at the side of the road waiting for the emergency services to turn up. Make sure the coat you choose covers most of your body and is waterproof for this situation.
Ice scraper and de-icer
Your front and rear windscreen must be clear of snow and ice before travelling. If you’ve found cheap Stansted airport parking or parking at another airport, your car may have a thick layer of ice in the winter when you return to drive home. An ice scraper and de-icer will help you remove all the ice from your car so you can safely travel home. Sometimes in really cold weather, your door might become frozen shut; this can be a problem if you leave your car at the airport. Keeping an ice-scraper in your luggage can help with this issue. Also, you can lubricate your car locking mechanisms before you go on holiday, which will help to prevent the lock from freezing. If you are stuck outside of your car, the best thing to do is try all of the other doors before panicking; one of them is likely to open.
A torch
A large battery-operated or wind-up torch is a good item to keep in your car during winter. It will help you inspect any vehicle issues and safely find your way off the road if you need to get out of the car and wait for assistance in a safe location. Your phone torch is unlikely to be enough if you’re stuck in treacherous conditions at the side of the road.
Warning triangles
If you end up breaking down, you should have warning triangles; this can alert other drivers of your presence on the road as a potential hazard. It will also help the breakdown vehicle to find your car without accidentally driving past, which can happen in the dark. You should have two warning triangles; each needs to be placed 45 metres away from your vehicle, one at the front and one at the back of the car. This will give drivers enough time to slow down and react, avoiding collisions.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses aren’t only needed for the summer. In winter, the sun can be particularly dangerous, especially if snow is on the ground. A low sun reflecting snow and ice can make driving dangerous. Always keep a pair of sunglasses in your car so you can get home or to your destination safely.
