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Spring Motoring Tips

You are feeling good and life is a breeze.

So be careful not to get too carried away and overlook the obvious; driving your vehicle is still a serious responsible task.

Always make sure you check over your vehicle (or have it done professionally) for any damage incurred during the winter months. Tyres are particularly vulnerable to the rigours of winter, in particular sharp objects hidden by snow or an involuntary slide into a kerb; check them and set the pressures to your normal usage recommendations. Salt / grit mix is not a vehicles best friend when it comes to durability, so check for signs of corrosion and give the vehicle a good pressure wash. Check the wiper blades which may well have sustained damage from ice on the screen (it’s a legal requirement to be able to maintain clear vision at all times).

Valet the interior and exterior to clear away the winter debris and make the vehicle a pleasant place to enjoy the forthcoming better weather. Take the opportunity to fix any problems that come to light during the clean up, and of course check all the lights are working correctly too. Consider a service to make the sure the mechanical bits are in good order, and reduce the risk of a breakdown and the associated inconvenience.

Perhaps it’s time top remove some of the clutter in the vehicle left over from the winter; snow shovel, snow chains, extra clothes, emergency rations (if you haven’t eaten them all!), in order to reduce the weight of the vehicle as much as is practical. A lighter vehicle should use less fuel, and at today’s prices that is important for most drivers.

Once your vehicle is good to go, how about the driver? Being mindful that the sun is still low in the sky and could make it difficult to see, make sure you have your clean sunglasses to hand; and of course if you are experiencing any difficulty in seeing, make an appointment with your optician. A worrying statistic is that about one third of UK drivers fail to come up the minimum eyesight standard; make sure you are not one of them.

Having done all the preparation, it’s time to enjoy the drive, and for many people that means a trip into the countryside. Spring is of course the time when lambs and other young animals are around, so keep a sharp eye for little ones that may squeeze through a hole the hedge onto the road. Apart from not wishing to kill animals, they can do a lot of damage to your shiny paintwork in a collision. Don’t forget that animals do stray on to motorways and primary routes too – and that can be a much bigger issue when everyone is travelling quickly.

Well so go and enjoy the spring, but if you want a challenge and proof that you are a good driver, consider taking an advanced driving test. There are several to choose from, so the opportunity is there for company drivers and private motorists.

Have fun.

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