As the cold winter weather arrives, Volvo Car UK is supporting fleets, offering to help prepare and protect managers and drivers for the incoming harsh conditions.

Its workshop technicians are on hand to help prepare company cars by checking everything from the battery and braking system to the windscreen, wiper blades, bulbs and fluids.

Volvo encourages businesses to check their cars and carry out regular maintenance checks on their vehicles, avoiding any pitfalls that could arise from the expected snow, heavy rain and poor visibility across the UK.

Head of sales at Volvo, Steve Beattie, said: “Businesses should remind their company car drivers to take journeys steady in poor conditions.

“If visibility is reduced or roads are extremely wet or at risk of being icy, unnecessary journeys should be avoided and those who do drive should be more cautious and avoid risky manoeuvres which could lead to skidding.

“We also always advise drivers to carry blankets, extra warm layers of clothing and food and drinks when the weather turns wintry, just in case they or other motorists and their passengers become stranded.”

Regular checks on vehicle tyre tread can help and the use of winter tyres extends the life of standard wheels, but also improves road safety in snow, heavy rain and freezing conditions.

Volvo recommends that the tyre swap is done once the temperature goes below seven degrees.

Visibility is another critical issue, with the company’s headlight technology including innovative LED headlights that are designed to improve visibility in all weathers.

Volvo issued some top tips for winter road safety, which can be found below:

• Prepare fleet vehicles for winter driving by booking into a local workshop where Volvo-trained technicians can check important points such as the battery, braking system, windscreen, wiper blades, bulbs and fluids.
• Businesses should not put drivers under pressure to be in the office or at meetings in extreme weather, when driving conditions are unsafe.
• As a minimum, fleet managers and businesses should provide drivers with a simple essential maintenance checklist to carry out each week, including tyre tread (minimum 3mm for wet and wintry conditions), wiper blade condition, cleanliness of headlights and all windows, levels of oil, coolant, screen wash and de-icer.
• Remind fleet drivers to check their vehicle condition in daylight or a fully lit garage.
• A winter driving policy should outline requirements for vehicle preparation and any equipment or procedures drivers must carry and adhere to during bad weather spells. Keeping fuel levels above a quarter of a tank should also be recommended in case of unexpected delays.
• Remind drivers to take extra care when visibility drops at dusk, and to keep an eye on their speed on slippery roads since stopping distances can be 10 times longer.
• Consider providing drivers with an emergency kit to keep in their car, including breakdown essentials such as a high-visibility vest, a blanket, torch and phone charger.
• Install map updates on all fleet vehicles to ensure drivers are always using the best possible routes. This can be done quickly and easily online for models with Sensus Navigation.

Last year, Volvo urger fleets to have a winter policy.

Volvo recently announced that drivers and buyers of any new Volvo plug-in hybrid model (PHEV) will benefit from a year’s free electricity to charge their car.

The offer is open to both private and business customers. Volvo says this is because it’s “intention is to encourage drivers to get into the habit of keeping their car’s hybrid battery charged, it’s the company car driver who will receive the refund at the end of the year rather than their employer.”