You can’t do your job without your lorry, fortunately, most companies have procedures for winter check-ups to make sure the vehicle is well equipped to deal with the conditions over the next few months. The vehicle needs to be up to standards because it can be dangerous for yourself as well as others on the road if the vehicle were to lose control, risking not only your life but others too.
Here’s some of the essentials that can prepare your vehicle for the winter ahead:

- First aid kit: This is essential, it can save a life and is ideal to have at hand during emergencies on the road. They come in varying sizes which also means different sizes of plasters and bandages, get whichever kit you can to fit in your cabin.
 
- A warm blanket: Considering how cold it can get, it never hurts to have a blanket in the truck at the ready, even if blankets aren’t your sort of thing. When the weather is THIS cold you might just need one and once again, if any accidents happen and someone needs to be treated in the cold a blanket could come in handy.
 
- Hazard triangles: You know the drill, if you are held up in the road for some reason the hazard triangles should be placed a reasonable distance from your vehicle so drivers are aware there will be an obstruction ahead.
 
- A shovel: Just in case it happens to snow, a shovel would be a good idea if you have the room!
 
- De-icer spray and scraper: This might make defrosting the lorry a bit easier when it freezes over, with these items you can scrape most of the ice off of the windows then let your heating (if available) do the rest. If not… scrape faster!
 
- Winter-proof tyres: the RAC recommend using winter-proof tyres at this time of year, these tyres are designed to offer optimum traction and grip in cold conditions. For further advice consult your local garages.
 
- A torch and extra batteries: This applies all year-around, but especially in the winter when it is darker much earlier. You need a torch to see where you’re going when you step out of the vehicle. The last thing you want is to injure yourself while on the road due to lack of sight.
 
- A flask: This is ideal to store a warm drink during the colder months meaning you have something to keep you warm on the inside as much as your jackets and blanket keep you warm on the outside!
 
- Adapter, phone and charger: While it’s impossible to imagine, some drivers do go on the road without their mobile. It absolutely should not be used while driving, but a phone is essential to contact emergency services should the need arise.
 
- Sunglasses: Who wears sunglasses in winter? You should! This time of year the sun gets much lower to the point it can be almost blinding on the road and in snowy weather the ground reflects and glares the rays from the sun. To combat the suns brightness you should have a pair of shades at the ready so you can still see and to look incredibly cool while driving.
 

With all of this gear, you should be more than prepared to deal with the winter storms ahead. You can also get your vehicle’s fog lights checked, as well as checking the vehicle is internally well equipped to handle the cold weather and won’t break down on you in the middle of a cold storm.
Any other suggestions? Let us know in the comments!