It's getting cold again! Time to prepare our fleet for winter.

The days are getting shorter, the Christmas adverts have well and truly taken over the radio, and temperatures tonight in St Albans will be below zero again. Winter is definitely upon us.

Our car and van hire staff are starting to reach for their woolly hats and gloves (some with more style than others!).

It's not just the staff that we've been preparing for winter. We've been adding winter screen wash and anti-freeze to all our hire cars and hire vans since September. As the weeks go on and the days continue to get shorter we continue to add more screen wash to the mix so that our fleet are ready for any plummeting temperatures.

We have an extensive checklist that we run through whenever a vehicle is returned, and amongst other things that includes ensuring that oil levels, water levels, tyre pressures, screen wash levels, tool kits, lights and spare wheels are all exactly as they should be. You can always be assured that our vehicles are maintained and prepared for the conditions of the season.

In this particularly cold weather we also supply an ice scraper in all our vehicles so that you're never caught out. A 2012 study by Autoglym showed that 29% of motorists questioned had resorted to using their hands as an ice scraper - not the best idea! Even more concerning were the 15% that admitted to using boiling water to try and melt ice on their windscreens...! You should never, ever try to use hot water to defrost a windscreen. You run the significant risk of shattering it as a result.

Being prepared for winter driving isn't just about comfort, driving with poor visibility is illegal and you can find yourself ending up with a fine and points on your license if you don't clear your windscreen properly before setting off.

You should always allow extra time for driving in poor weather conditions, and don't forget to take a warm coat with you if you're venturing out when it's particularly cold.