SAFE DRIVING IN WINTER

Planning a shopping expedition? Visiting relatives and friends over the festive season? Make sure you don't forget the most important thing: is your car and your driving up to surviving the winter weather?

In the cold, wet weather, it's even more important than ever to give your car a thorough check over - for safety as well as peace of mind. Of course, if you belong to a breakdown organisation, it's comforting to know that if the worst happens and your vehicle does let you down, help will quickly be on its way. However, the frustrating thing for many members stranded by the roadside is that the breakdown could easily have been avoided.

Ensuring that your car is serviced regularly is one way to avoid all the hassle of a breakdown - not foolproof, of course, but prevention is always better than cure. Tyres should always be carefully checked as worn treads can be lethal - for you and innocent bystanders, as well as other road users. Tyre pressure, too, should be regularly monitored.

Up until recently UK motorists hadn't adopted the Continental practice of swapping tyres in the autumn for winter ones - then swapping back in the spring to summer ones. As a result of recent very cold winters however attitudes are changing with many garages now offering a 'Winter Tyre Fitting Service' where they will sell you a set of winter tyres and store your summer ones free of charge.

One of the most common causes of breakdown is battery failure. Sluggish starting is a sure sign that your car battery is getting old. As soon as starting becomes slow, it's time to think about buying a new battery, especially after a long winter.

If you're venturing to the Continent, make sure you read up on the traffic laws in the countries you're planning to visit. You could be liable for hefty on the spot fines or e...