How to prepare for winter vacation traffic

When heading out for a winter vacation, equip your car with a snow brush, ice scraper and snow shovel.

The motorist’s snow shovel can also be put to good use when playing in the snow! Other winter accessories you should have in the car are jumper cables and a towline.

Check the car’s condition and accessories before setting out. Often, your car will not be parked in a garage when on vacation, making a good snow brush and ice scraper essential items to have with you. You should check the charge level of your batteries before setting out because freezing temperatures will often cause poor-condition batteries to stop working. You should also check that your oil, filters and coolant can withstand freezing temperatures, especially if the car has not been maintained regularly.

Fill up the windscreen wiper fluid reservoir with non-freezing windscreen washing fluid. Correct tyre pressure ensures safe travel, especially when the car is packed to the brim with luggage and you might even have a ski box on the roof as extra weight. You should also check the condition of your spare tyre and that you have the tools required for patching.

You should pre-warm the engine using a block heater. This is easy both on the environment and on your wallet because a cold engine will usually use more fuel. Grease the locks and choose a lock de-icer that does not contain any alcohol. Keep the lock de-icer in your jacket pocket. It will do you no good inside the car if the doors are frozen shut. Make sure that the windscreen wiper blades are clean and intact. Change the wiper blades if they are in a poor condition.