Putting together a winter driving survival kit

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by: bythesea
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Word Count: 560
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 Time: 1:46 AM
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With the winter weather well and truly upon us and causing havoc up and down the UK, it's more important than ever to be completely prepared before getting in your car and hitting the road. It's always advisable to keep your vehicle well maintained but it's particularly important during the winter months; keeping an eye on factors like the tread depth on your tyres can mean the difference between a safe journey and a potentially dangerous one.

The recent proliferation of snow and ice has meant that even routine journeys have transformed into risky trips, increasing the chance of being involved in a traffic accident. With that in mind, it's well worth double checking that your car insurance is up to date just in case you're unfortunate enough to be involved in an incident for which you'll need to make a claim.

As well as the increased risk of accidents, the chance of getting stuck in a major traffic jam or even stuck in your car on an impassable road also becomes a very real possibility with the onset of winter weather. It's good to have supplies to hand in such an occasion and as you never know when the really bad weather will strike, you'd do well to prepare a winter survival kit to keep in the car at all times just in case.

But what should the kit include? Well, you'll be dealing with incredibly low temperatures should you be stuck in the ice and snow, so it makes sense to pack some warm clothing including a winter hat and gloves as well as a blanket. You'll also want to include some emergency energy food to keep you going if you're stuck for a long time, so things like biscuits or chocolate are ideal. A torch will also come in handy in case you get stuck while the sun is down.

As well as the usual de-icer and scraper, it's also worth clearing space in the boot for a bag of grit and some spare squares of old carpet. Both will come in useful if you wake up to find that the place you parked in is now blanketed in ice or snow. The grit will help to melt the ice, while jamming carpet under your tyres can help you to gain traction and pull away from a situation that might otherwise seem hopeless.

It's rare for anyone to be without a mobile phone nowadays but be sure to have yours to hand and fully charged when setting out in winter conditions. That way, you'll be able to call for help if you get into an accident or let friends and family know if you're stuck on the roads during harsh weather.

A satnav or road atlas can also be a hugely important addition to your winter driving kit as they will allow you to plot an alternative route at short notice should you find out that the roads you were planning to use are too treacherous to travel on.

It's also an idea to take some entertainment with you just in case you do find yourself having to spend hours stuck in your car waiting for the weather to clear. A good book or an MP3 player filled with your favourite music or podcasts will help to pass the time and keep you from going stir crazy.

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