What Car? guide to winter motoring - Introduction

The winter months bring a unique set of challenges for the motorist to weather.

From what to store in your car to driving through snow (if you really have to), there's a lot to consider. Here we cover every base to ensure you emerge unscathed in the spring.

The first and most fundamental thing to recognise is that driving through the winter is more dangerous than at other times of the year.

As the clocks go back the nights draw in, the weather worsens and the festive party season starts; consequently accident rates rise and fatalities increase.

Department for Transport figures show deaths last October stood at 269. In November the figure jumped to 300 and then 323 in December.

Read on to find out how you can avoid becoming one of the statistics.