Get ready for winter

Preparation and a little patience will help you get through this winter in one piece says specialist non standard insurance intermediary Hyperformance. And that includes adjusting your driving style to suit the cold, wet and dark days and nights.

Hyperformance, part of the award winning A&A Group Ltd, specialises in insuring those deemed "high risk" by its competitors, but says that even the most expensive cars fitted with all the latest equipment are no substitute for a bit more commonsense and consideration on the roads during the winter months.

Prepare your vehicle before venturing out:

Check lights are clean and working properly
Check the windscreen wipers work
Make sure you have topped up the windscreen wash fluid
Warm the engine for a few minutes before starting out
Do not proceed until windows are demisted and you have full all-round visibility
Carry warning triangle, first aid kit, spare tyre (properly inflated), and the tools to change it
Carry some extra warm clothing
If setting out on a long journey pack a flask of something hot and some high energy snacks

Whilst driving:

Leave a little more time for your journey
Adjust your speed according to the road conditions
Leave a larger gap than normal from the car in front
Anticipate problems and prepare to respond to them
Concentrate on what’s going on around you and don’t allow yourself to be distracted from your driving
Consider other motorists: if you are having trouble with the road conditions, so are they
Keep your lights on if the visibility is poor or its raining or snowing
Be aware of black ice conditions

These precautions may seem obvious but Hyperformance says they still all have the capacity to catch motorists out and any resulting accident, however small, costs time, money and inconvenience.

"Every year we remind customers to be careful and take simple steps to protect themselves, but every year we see an increase in claims from those that fail to heed the warning," says Steve McPherson, Sales & Marketing Director of Hyperformance.

"Staying safe is obviously reason enough to drive carefully in winter conditions, but this is added to by the potential cost of an accident, especially if it leads to a driver losing a No Claims Bonus or suffering an increase in their insurance premium as a direct result.

"We are well placed to keep the impact of a claim upon the cost of insurance down to the minimum, but by following a few simple steps this winter it is possible to dramatically cut the probability of needing to test out our service in this area!," he adds.