Welcome to SOCAR’s autumn and winter tips.

Drivers who tend not to watch their speed so much in autumn can soon slide into trouble. This can often be down to simple errors of judgement on difficult roads and in tricky driving conditions. A good example is braking distance, which can increase by 25% on wet roads, and even more with leaves and other debris to contend with. That is why you should maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you, watch your speed and just be a bit more cautious on the road.

Autumn is when the days get shorter and the nights get longer. It may sound obvious, but you need to make sure your headlights are working properly, so get your dipped and main beams, daytime running lights, fog lights, brake lights and your indicators tested. Your front and rear fog lights should only be used when visibility is below 50 metres due to fog, snow or heavy rain. In short, seeing and being seen makes the roads safer.

We have all seen pictures of wild boars out and about in autumn and presenting an additional hazard for drivers. Deer and other wild animals are also very active at this time of year, particularly in the morning and at dusk. Pay attention to warning signs advising you of animals crossing, drive carefully near wooded areas, be ready to brake suddenly and watch your speed to avoid a potentially serious accident.

We all change our wardrobes when autumn rolls around, swapping our summer footwear for something a bit more substantial. Do not neglect your car: get those winter tyres on early. Black ice can form on the roads whenever temperatures drop below three degrees. But winter tyres are not only useful in frosty conditions; they can also give you substantially better grip when temperatures are in the low single figures. Remember to check the tread depth and air pressure for each tyre.

Debris does not have to be on the road to spoil your journey. Leaves can be a real problem if they get stuck in the vent between the windscreen and the bonnet, where the windscreen wipers are fitted on most cars. Once there, they can block your car’s fans and drains. This causes water to build up, which can then find its way into the ventilation system, playing havoc with the car’s interior ventilation and causing the windows to mist up. That is why it is important to keep your car free from debris.

Top up your motor oil, bearing in mind that certain types can thicken in winter. Check the viscosity grade and optimal temperature of your motor oil, and switch to an oil designed for use in sub-zero temperatures if necessary. The staff at your local SOCAR petrol station will be happy to advise you on which oil is right for you .

To keep your windscreen clear in winter, you should consider adding some winter cleaning fluid to your standard screenwash. This will not only help clean the windscreen, but also prevent the screenwash from freezing and keep the pump and nozzles free from blockages.

Damp autumn conditions and abrasive salt and grit on the roads in winter are bad news for your car’s paintwork. No matter how small the scratch or dent, rust can quickly set in and do serious damage. Instead of ignoring those little marks, get them seen to as soon as possible, and when you are at the car wash, choose a programme designed to protect your car’s paintwork to keep your pride and joy looking its best.

While wipers last a long time, sooner or later, they will need replacing. When you start to see streaks being left behind on your windscreen or rear window, it is time to change those wipers. Our top tip: place some windscreen covers under your car’s wiper blades during the autumn and winter months at night to stop them from freezing and getting damaged.

A typical and particularly irritating scenario in winter is your car battery giving up the ghost. If you find your car’s starter is already struggling before temperatures have even reached zero, you should get the battery checked straight away and replaced if necessary.