If the forecasts are right, we could be in for snow in the next few days, but it doesn’t have to bring misery on the roads, as Motoring Editor Peter Carroll explains:

There will be little comfort to West Midlands motorists if the region gets the expected snow tomorrow evening.

An icy blast of Arctic weather is no big deal on the continent or Scandinavia, where they cope with it year in year out, but here in the UK we never seem properly prepared.

Last year’s winter, the coldest for 31 years, caught the whole nation on the hop. Schools and businesses closed, councils ran out of grit, roads became impassable and drivers were left marooned miles from home.

This winter we can expect ‘more of the same’ on the weather front, according to Jonathan Powell, from Positive Weather Solutions.

So is the whole country about to grind to a halt again? David Williams, chief executive of leading road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist, would like to think not.

Prepare

“The trouble last year was that the bad weather came very early and we weren’t prepared for the severity of it.”

So what should drivers be doing to prepare for the winter? Here are our top 10 tips for motoring ‘snow-how’.

Get your battery checked when the weather turns cold and wintry

1. General vehicle maintenance.

Make sure your car is fully serviced. Winter tyres will give more grip at temperatures less than 7C. If you can’t stretch to new tyres, at least ensure tread is legal — preferably more than 3mm, and check your battery and replace if necessary. Check anti-freeze, which should be a blue or yellow colour, and top up your radiator with neat anti-freeze when it’s cold. Buy windscreen washer fluid — a concentrated solution is needed, not a diluted one, and ensure you are running on the correct oil for your car. Lastly, make sure you have plenty of fuel before setting out.

2. Winter survival kit.

Pack all or some of the following items — sturdy boots, warm coat, gloves, hat, food, drink, high visibility bib, warning triangle, scraper, de-icer, shovel, piece of plastic or carpet, torch, tow-rope, jump leads, wipes, mobile phone with charger. If you can’t be bothered to assemble these, the AA has put together a Winter Essentials kit for £25 which includes a foldable shovel, emergency foil blanket and torch.

3. Plan ahead.

When the freeze hits, put a blanket or sheet over your windscreen overnight, tucking it under the wipers. The screen should not then freeze and the wipers won’t get stuck. Spray WD40 into your car locks to stop them freezing. Charge your mobile phone as you might need it. Programme your breakdown provider’s emergency number, and your customer reference number, into your phone. Get up 10 minutes earlier to defrost your car, and if the weather is really bad consider whether you need to travel at all.

Carry a scraper with you to remove the snow and ice properly

4. Iced-up windows and locks.

Do not use boiling water on windows as the glass will crack. Use de-icer or a scraper instead. Hot, not boiling, water can be poured over locks. Alternatively heat metal part of key under lighter for 15 seconds. Put both sun visors in horizontal position as this helps direct the flow of warm air back to the windscreen which will help to speed up defrosting.

5. Is it safe to move off?

Never drive off with your windscreen or side windows partly defrosted. The small amount of time you’ll save isn’t worth the risk of ending up in a ditch. Pull away in a higher gear if road looks icy.

6. Take the right road.

Main roads are more likely to be gritted and be passable than minor roads.

7. Drive very carefully.

Remember in bad weather, stopping distances increase up to tenfold — even if you have a 4×4. Steer and brake gently. Try to maintain a constant speed and change gear in advance. Do not get too close to the car in front. Beware of treacherous black ice — the telltale sign is when your steering lightens up. If you get stuck in deep snow, do not rev the engine, as this will cause the wheels to dig deeper. Instead, put car into a high gear and slowly move forwards and backwards to gently creep out of the snow. A piece of carpet or a sheet next to the driven wheels can help get you moving.

When it snows, drive sensibly and consider using just the main roads which are more likely to be gritted

8. Skidding.

The safest course of action is to keep your speed down so you do not skid. If you do, don’t slam on the brakes. If you’re in a front-wheel drive car, come off the accelerator and and gently steer in direction you want to go. If you have a rear wheel drive car, steer in the direction the car is moving. Bring car to a halt with short, repeated braking.

9. Keep it clean.

Cars rapidly become dirty in winter — but you need to protect your bodywork against road salt, which can accelerate corrosion. Use a proper shampoo followed by an application of premium quality wax to provide anti-corrosion protection. Tyres are also susceptible to degradation from salt, and can be protected with a tyre dressing. Remember that windscreen wiper nozzles will become frozen or blocked in adverse weather. The pin end of a badge can be handy to remove blockages.

10. Frosting.

Don’t become a victim of frosting. Once you have started your vehicle in the morning, don’t leave it running on your drive while you go back inside. An opportunist thief could jump in and drive it away. You may not be covered for insurance if the car was left unlocked.