ADVERSE weather conditions can make driving difficult, and low temperatures can take a toll on your motor.

The nights are drawing in, the leaves have fallen from the trees and there's a distinct chill in the air, so we thought we would share our top tips for motorists.

THE serious stress caused by car trouble during the colder months is something every driver can relate to. Just when you're running five minutes late for work because you snoozed your alarm one too many times or your eye liner just didn't want to co-operate, then you will undoubtedly be more likely to encounter a problem with your car and end up slinking in to the office with a red face, half an hour late.

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Winter is a really tough time for your car, so to keep it as healthy as possible and help with your winter punctuality, we have compiled a checklist for a frost-friendly motor.

To offer some expert advice, we also spoke with local car dealer Frank Sloan, proprietor of Cumbria Autos, based in Hindpool Road, Barrow.

Mr Sloane said: "Firstly, check that you have anti-freeze in the engine and a proper screen wash, not just water, as that solution should contain anti-freeze too.

"Check the tyre pressures, just to ensure you have a better grip as the weather starts to get wetter.

"The best way to deal with a frosted wind screen is just to use a de-icer and to sit in your car allowing it to warm up until your vision is 100 per cent clear. Many people don't realise that it is actually illegal to drive without full visibility, so it isn't worth shaving off those extra minutes if it means you have to drive with impaired vision."

When the weather starts to get seriously fierce, follow these five steps:

Fit winter tyres

When temperatures fall below seven degrees, winter tyres provide more grip than normal rubber, and their performance in snowy and wet conditions is vastly superior. In fact, they can make such a difference that countries including Germany and Austria have made them compulsory during the winter months.

Rather than changing the tyres themselves, it's often easiest to put winter tyres on some cheap steel wheels and simply run the car on those between December and April before swapping back to your nice, shiny alloys.

Snow chains

Don't use them unless you absolutely have to because they tear up roads and offer far less grip than winter tyres unless there's snow under the wheels. However, just in case we get a serious white Christmas, it might be worth investing.

Carry blankets and warm clothing

Getting stuck by the side of the road due to a breakdown or an accident is never a pleasant experience, but it's far worse in the depths of winter. It's important, therefore, that you carry some blankets and warm clothing to keep your body temperature up if you get stuck.

Check your lights

With days getting shorter, now is a good time to make sure your lights are working. Switch the headlights on and walk around the car checking each bulb in turn, then ensure that the indicators are working and use a reflective surface such as a window or garage door to make sure the brake lights work. Many people forget that lights are not just for seeing with - it's important that you can be seen easily by other road users. If the weather turns snowy, rainy or foggy, turn your lights on to make sure everyone else knows you're there.

Top up vital fluids

Winter's salty roads and inclement weather mean you're likely to use far more windscreen washer fluid than normal, so make sure you've got plenty in the bottle. In the summer, you can use more water than washer fluid, but the fluid should be less dilute in winter because the fluid has an anti-freezing agent in it. It's also worth checking all the car's other vital fluids, such as oil and coolant - you don't want to break down if you can possibly avoid it.

Mr Sloane said: "During the winter when the roads are icy I would always advise people to set off 10 minutes early and not to leave anything till the last minute and also to take your car for a pre-winter check."

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