This is the first winter offensive. 32 departments are listed on orange alert for snow or ice this Thursday and the cold worsens in much of the country. How to properly prepare your vehicle and ensure you see it start tomorrow morning?
Battery, windshield washer, scraper
First essential check: the battery. Ideally, your car should sleep under cover tonight, but if not, place a piece of cardboard in front of the grille, to prevent (too much) cold air from entering under the hood. If you haven’t driven recently, take your car for a spin tonight to check that the battery is still working. And change it if necessary. Taking a quick trip to the garage to check everything before the first frost can be helpful, to check all levels as well.
Another element that should not be overlooked: the windshield washer which must be resistant to low temperatures. You can also find a small silicone spray in aftermarket stores that will make it easier for you. opening the doors (if it does not have centralized opening).
If you do not want to defrost your vehicle tomorrow morning, it may be interesting protect your vehicle with a special protective cover, available in specialized stores. Cardboard helps, but when wet it can just stick to the windshield. A real fake friend. If there is no protection, raise the wipers to prevent them from sticking to the windshield. And, of course, the scratching post is a must for this season.
Socks in the trunk
If you have to hit the road tomorrow, the ideal is to be able to do it in winter tiresmore suitable thanks to their shapes and flexibility at colder temperatures. If you don’t have one, a pair of socks in the trunk can be very useful in case of snow. Install them on the vehicle to start and achieve a clear axle. Then it will be necessary to take them off, socks are not made for driving on a clear road.
Safe driving
“It is essential to check the brakes and lights,” Hervé Silitti, director of an automobile center in Point S, advises BFMTV. “We drive a lot at night.”
In case of bad weather, a little advice: evaluate your route. Prefer the main roads that are the first to be cleared and, if possible, avoid this long descent or this passage through the forest which can be difficult.
Even more so if you don’t have winter or all-season tires, drive gently and carefully. Also increase safety distances to have time to react.
Finally, why not place a blanket, some cereal bars and a thermos with a hot drink in your vehicle? Something to calm down.
Source: BFM TV
