December 20, 2023
Abby Nuttall
Driver Articles
As we head into the Christmas weekend, we know many drivers will be travelling to visit family and friends. We’ve already covered some driving tips to prepare you for any long journeys but we also wanted to give you five quick and easy checks that you should do before travelling.
Five Christmas Car Checks
These checks should be quick and simple for you to do but can save you time, money or stress further down the line.
1. Check Your Tyres
The first thing we recommend checking before doing any long journey, or if it’s been a while since you last checked, is your tyres.
There are three aspects to check:
- The tread
- The pressure
- Any damage
You can find a more detailed breakdown on how to check your tyres in our dedicated tyre guide (LINK /guides/driver/checking-a-tyre/) but you will generally want to check the tread meets the legal limit (1.6mm), that your tyre pressure is at the manufacturer’s recommended level and that there is no damage, such as cracking or bulging to any of the tyre.
2. Check Your Screen Wash
Another thing you should check is your screen wash levels. We’d recommend checking all fluid levels, but the screen cleaner can be particularly critical in winter weather as poor weather can lead to dirt and debris building up on the windscreen, reducing visibility and being a potential hazard.
3. Check You Have De-Icer / Scraper in the Car
We’d also recommend checking you’ve got your preferred method of de-icer in the car. This might be a spray, a scraper or even a cover that you put over the windscreen to protect it from the frost. Whatever method you use we recommend checking it’s available in the car, in an easy to reach location and if you’re using a spray that there’s enough left in the bottle / can.
4. Check Any Warning Lights
Check your dashboard for any warning lights, and if any are lit up then arrange for work to be completed quickly over the break. Some can be as simple as needing to top up the coolant, but others can be indicators of more serious issues and we recommend getting those looked at before doing any long trips.
5. Check Your Mirrors
We know that over Christmas you might be moving a lot of gifts, switching off driving or just moving your driver’s seat to give the rear passengers a little more legroom. We recommend checking all of your mirrors are in the right position for you before you set off on each journey, especially if you have moved your seat at all since you last drove.
Enjoyed this article? Read more of our latest blogs below:
- Wessex Fleet Winter Travel Tips
- Looking After Your Drivers During the Holidays
- Knowing the Right Size Fleet for Your Business
- Prepparing Your Fleet for Winter
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