Welcome to SOCAR tips for winter.

When driving on snow-covered roads, it is easy to miss the driver in front of you turning on their brake lights. In wintry road conditions, increase the following distance from the vehicle in front of you by five times the usual amount and reduce your speed. This ensures you have sufficient time to react and prevents you from skidding.

Did you know that the Helvetia on our two-franc coin is a true tyre expert? In next to no time, she can let you know whether your tread depth is adequate. How it works: Press a two-franc coin into the grooves of your tyre. If Helvetia’s pedestal is not yet visible, your tyres have sufficient tread depth to safely take you through the winter season.

Drivers who do not completely scrape all the ice off their car windows may find their wallet feeling a little lighter. Missing even a tiny spot could make you subject to a fine of up to CHF 1000.00 and your driver’s license being revoked for at least a month. Furthermore, if you are caught scraping the ice off your windows while your engine’s running, you will also have to part with your cash to pay the CHF 60.00 fine.

When the elves have been up to their old tricks again and you can’t find your ice scraper for the life of you, here is a cool – or lukewarm – trick: Pour lukewarm (never hot) water over your windows. Using a mixture of water with a little vinegar also works well.

Your tyres suffer when they are even ever so slightly flat – it can only go downhill from there. Tyre pressure that is too low results in greater wear and generally makes driving all the more dangerous. You should therefore check your tyre pressure on a monthly basis – also for your spare tyres – and make sure that it is in line with the value specified in the manual.

Let your winter tyres go into retirement gracefully, because unlike wine, the quality of tyres does not improve with age. The rubber compound hardens over time and cracks start to form. This negatively impacts the safety of the tyres. Do not use tyres that are more than eight years old, even if their tread depth is still sufficient.

Getting caught out in wintry conditions and then having to fit your snow chains for the first time guarantees frozen fingers and a frosty atmosphere with your passengers back in the car. Therefore, practise putting them on in your garage at least once. Before fitting the chains, point the tyres slightly to the right. Always put the chains on the drive wheels and according to the instructions.