It’s that time of year again when trees are shedding their leaves and the long nights are setting in. Whilst there is no doubt autumn is a beautiful time of year in the UK, for motorists it can be miserable.

Recent crime figures highlight the increase in car crime during the autumn nights, leading to many car insurance claims being made.

The dark, cold nights also make the commute to and from work a much more testing, sometimes dangerous, experience. Whilst there are numerous safe driving techniques to help avoid accidents, the following basic car maintenance suggestions have been provided by Direct Line to help you keep safe:

Headlights
Wiping your headlights before every journey clears dirt and increases visibility, but you must also ensure they are aimed correctly. Driving over potholes can knock headlights out of position, so have these checked at a garage.

Tyres
Even a top Formula One driver would struggle to drive in icy conditions with worn tyres. The more tread on your tyres the better as it provides extra grip, but the legal tread depth minimum is 1.6mm.

Defrost all windows before driving
Ensuring all windows are clear of ice provides the best visibility – essential for spotting those hidden dangers. Use an ice scraper and de-icer, but NEVER pour boiling water on the windscreen as it may crack.

Purchase windscreen washer fluid
The best way to prevent windscreen washer fluid freezing is to use specialist windscreen washer fluid, readily available from most garage forecourts. This will ensure you are able to clean your windscreen when it gets dirty and maintain good visibility.

By following these basic car maintenance steps you will be better prepared for autumn driving and will hopefully avoid any calls to your car insurance provider.