One of the ways we can help make driving safer in the winter is to make sure we have the optimum visibility available to us at the time. Winter will inevitably bring with it frost, snow, sleet and slush as well as salt and grime thrown up from other vehicles on the roads to attack your windscreen while driving. Add to that combination the darkness that most people will be travelling in due to the shorter days and you’ve got yourself a recipe for very poor visibility.
It can be only a fraction of a second that can determine the difference between a safe journey and having an accident on the road, if your visibility is minimised it will only compromise your reaction speeds even more and you could well be in a collision or skid off an icy road before you have time to act and avoid it. Making sure your wiper blades are up to the job is vital before setting out in your vehicle in the winter weather, they are important to your visibility all year round but more so in the winter which is why it is recommended to check your wipers as part of your general maintenance routine checks for your vehicle.
How to tell if you need to replace your wiper blades
Streaking, Splitting, Skipping or Squeaking, if your wiper blades are displaying any of these four S’s then it’s definitely a good idea to get new ones; don’t leave it till it’s too late.
Other signs to look for when inspecting that indicate you should get new wiper blades are:
- A bent or broken frame
- Corroded metal around joints
- Any loose or missing screws which should attach the frame to the arm
- Any ripped or disintegrated rubber on the wiper blade
- The arm doesn’t move easily or doesn’t lie flat on the window
- If the rubber wiper is loose or not properly secured in the frame.
It is advised that you replace your wiper blades every 6 – 12 months all depending on the wear and tear of the blades which is why a general inspection is important, so increase your safety factor this winter and ensure that your windscreen wipers are in full working order and performing to their best.