Charlotte Haye 26th October 2016

Preparing Your HGV For Winter

If you own a car, or are close to or even know someone who owns a car, you will know that there is a lot of work that can be done in order to prepare your vehicle for the winter months. Many people don’t bother to undertake winter maintenance on their cars, instead opting to continue as usual and deal with problems if and when they arise. For a standard car this is perfectly OK to do (although not recommended by most engineers), but for a HGV this is simply not an option. Not only does your vehicle need regular maintenance checks to keep it running smoothly, but you as a driver need to take extra care during the slippery, murky winter months.

Prepare Your Vehicle

Although a lot of haulage companies will provide winter service checks, it’s always useful to know what to look out for and how to be able to fix problems if they happen on the road. For example, if you drive a lorry with a diesel engine you should make sure you plug in the engine block heater each night, even when the temperature feels warm. The longer your lorry is sitting still, the more essential it is that you plug it in. It’s also important that you monitor your vehicle’s temperature closely during the colder months to make sure it is always running properly, and not under or overheating.

Avoid cold soaks (when the engine fluids and engine block drop to ambient temperatures after sitting for a while, as this will affect starting and charging systems within the engine. Make sure you are using ‘winter weight; fuel and stocked up on de-icer, anti-freeze and other engine maintenance materials. Check your tyres often, as freezing temperatures can cause slippery driving conditions. Ensuring you have fully inflated tyres with the correct tread depth will help avoid slipping and sliding on the road.

Prepare Yourself

hat Of course, it’s not just the vehicle that will be affected by winter conditions. Drivers and operators also need to adjust the way they drive and work in order to stay safe. Extra checks need to be carried out before the start of any journey, which needs drivers need to plan this into their timings. You will also need to adjust the distances and speeds you drive at, as well as potentially changing your routes to avoid floods, bad ice or snowed in areas. If you are genuinely uncomfortable with the conditions you are driving in at any time, stop driving. You might not want to let your customers or boss down, but the safety of you and those around you is paramount, and they will understand.

Have A Winter Survival Kit

As well as preparing yourself mentally and your vehicle, you should also prepare a winter survival kit for all of your journeys. When weather conditions get very bad (which they can without a moment’s notice in England and Scotland) there is a risk of getting stuck or stranded. In this situation, your cab becomes your survival capsule, so you should make sure you have everything you need. Essential equipment for the cab in winter might include;

Some strong sacking (to place under the wheels for extra traction of they get stuck)
A shovel
Warm clothes
A thick blanket
A flask of hot tea or coffee and some food
A mobile phone and charger
Sunglasses (to counteract the glare you can get when there’s a lot of snow on the ground)
A first aid kit
A hazard triangle
A torch and batteries

For all motorists driving in the snow or ice can be a bit daunting, but for a HGV driver it’s even more important they are confident and prepared. If you need help preparing for winter or would like refresher training on vehicle maintenance before any frosts hit, get in touch with us today to book your course.