Start here · Essential guide
Preparing Your Car for Each Season
A season-by-season checklist for fluids, tires, lights, wipers, battery and in-car gear, so your car is ready for heat, cold, rain and snow.
Driving and Roadside
Weather and Seasonal Driving
Handling heat, cold, rain, snow and seasonal car prep.
Crossing Flooded Roads: Why Caution Matters
Why driving through floodwater is risky, how even shallow water can cause loss of control or engine damage, and why turning around is usually safer.
Defrosting and Demisting Your Windows
How to clear frost and fog from car windows quickly and safely, which settings to use, what to avoid, and how to stop the glass fogging again.
Driving in Fog and Low Visibility
How to use headlights, speed and distance when fog or other low visibility limits how far you can see, and when it is wiser to stop and wait.
Driving in Heavy Rain and Avoiding Aquaplaning
How heavy rain reduces grip and visibility, what aquaplaning is, how to reduce the risk of it, and what to do if your car starts to skim over water.
Keeping a Car Cool in Hot Weather
How to protect your car's cabin, battery, tires and cooling system from extreme heat, plus safe habits for parking, cooling down and never leaving anyone inside.
Salt, Mud and Corrosion: Washing After Winter
How road salt and winter grime speed up rust on bodywork and the underside, and how to wash, rinse and protect your car after the cold months.
Starting a Car in Cold Weather
Why cold makes cars harder to start, how it affects the battery and oil, and sensible precautions for cold mornings, including what not to do.
Strong Wind and Driving High-Sided Vehicles
How crosswinds and gusts affect cars, tall vehicles, trailers and roof loads, and how to adjust your speed, grip and planning on windy roads.
Winter Driving Tips for Snow and Ice
Practical techniques for traction, braking, steering and visibility on snowy or icy roads, plus how to prepare and when it is better not to drive.
Related topics