Winter Driving Tips for Glasgow Drivers

Scottish winters can be brutal. Glasgow may be milder than the Highlands, but the city sees its share of ice, snow, and freezing fog — conditions that test every vehicle and every driver. SRL Recovery attends significantly more call-outs between November and March, and most of them are preventable.

Before winter hits, check your battery. Cold weather is the number one killer of older car batteries. If your battery is more than four years old and you've been noticing sluggish starts, get it tested. A battery test at most tyre and exhaust centres is free and takes five minutes.

Check your tyres. In freezing conditions, tyre pressure drops approximately 1 PSI for every 10°C drop in temperature. Under-inflated tyres in the cold massively increase your stopping distances. Also check tread depth — the legal minimum is 1.6mm, but for Scottish winter driving, 3mm or above is the real-world safe figure.

Keep your fuel tank at least half full in winter. A fuller tank reduces moisture condensation in the fuel system, and it means if you're stuck in traffic due to an accident or snow, you can run the heater.

Pack a winter kit: an ice scraper, a travel blanket, a torch, a small shovel, and a high-visibility vest. If you break down in a remote area in winter, these items are not luxuries — they're necessities.

Drive to conditions. Ice means reduced grip even at low speeds. On an icy Glasgow road at 20mph, your stopping distance is around four times what it would be on a dry road. Leave significantly more space in front.

If you do break down in winter, stay with your vehicle, keep your hazards on, and call SRL Recovery on 07776 356 556. We operate 24/7 through all weather conditions.