Cleveland Fire Brigade with the Cleveland Road Safety Partnership is offering motorists free drive-thru vehicle safety checks to keep everyone safe on the roads this cold winter.
The drop-in session will take place at Coulby Newham Community Fire Station on Saturday 10 December (10am to 3pm) which will include checks on tyres, lights, wipers, fluid levels and washer bottles – and you can also pick-up a free ice-scraper and screen wash top up.
Previous winter checks found that 52% of vehicles had one or more defects that could have put the motorist at risk.
Andrew Bright, Learn and Live Coordinator, said: “It is important that your vehicle is fully prepared for the cold temperatures, ice and snow. These checks are a quick and easy way to make sure your vehicle is road ready, topped up and ready to go. A broken-down vehicle on the road can put not only you but others at risk. We are urging drivers – prepare it, check it, don’t wreck it.
Along with checking vehicles we also ask drivers to listen out for weather forecasts and travel updates before setting off. If the conditions are a bit tricky then consider delaying non-essential journeys until the roads are clearer or have been treated. If you do have to travel, make sure you have cleared windscreens and mirrors and give yourself extra time, keep your distance and keep your speed down.
Don’t forget to keep a winter kit on board. This should include an ice-scraper, de-icer, warm clothes and boots. Sunglasses can also be very handy as low winter sun can block out visibility.”
The Brigade is a member of the Cleveland Road Safety Partnership and has teamed up with Halfords Autocentre and Middlesbrough College to carry out the checks.
For more road safety information visit: www.clevelandfire.gov.uk/safety/road-safety/
