Have you ever been stranded in the snow or stuck in a flood in your car? I have and it is a scary thing, which is why each year we get prepared for winter driving and I have produced a winter car checklist. We live in beautiful rural North Yorkshire which means that we have to be prepared when it comes to winter weather. More so MadDad who often travels over some treacherous roads in the winter. Since moving back to the North East we have become much more prepared for bad weather and both have emergency packs in our cars.

Getting prepared for Winter Driving

For the ‘Tread Carefully’ campaign, TyrePlus asked me to share with you my experience of being prepared for winter driving. It is six years since I got stuck in snow driving home from my Mums, thankfully the boys were with the husbeast, but goodness me it was a frightening experience and it was only due to the things that I had in my car that I managed to get going again. The thing is it really scared me and ever since it happened we always make sure that our cars are both well stocked.

Not only do we have a winter car checklist, we also make sure our cars are in tip-top condition.

Never go out without at least half a tank of fuel make sure the windscreen wipers are working and our screen wash is topped up.
Make sure the windscreen wipers are working.
Screen wash and antifreeze are topped up.
Tyre pressure and treads area double checked. The legal limit is 1.6 mm but having more is recommended for improved steering and breaking.
Are all the lights working and do we have spare bulbs.

Winter Car Checklist

Cat Litter – Don’t laugh but a bag of cat litter is invaluable. You sprinkle it under the car tyres and over where you need to drive and it helps with traction. When I was growing up my Dad always have a bit of carpet in the car for the same reason, but then he had to get out and pick up the carpet.

Fleece/foil Blankets – Fleece blankets are so inexpensive and pack up small, they are perfect for snuggling under if you do get stuck, but also for putting under the car tyres again. I a couple of them and also a couple of foil blankets too.ter/food – I have a bottle of water in the car in case of emergencies. I also have a box or two of cereal bars and nuts. They are perfect should we get stuck and need something to snack on.

Foldable snow shovel. We have one of these in each of the cars that we bought in the sales a couple of years back.

Car scraper with a brush. I am not graced with height, so my windscreen scraper has a long handle and also have a brush at the other end. Perfect for heavy snowfalls.

Wind up torch – there is nothing worse than getting stuck and going for you torch only to find the batteries have run out. I love my little wind-up torch for that reason. The husbeast has one that also has a radio too., Perfect for if he gets stuck.