Depending on where you live, winter can be a difficult time. Poor weather conditions can make something as simple as driving the kids to school much more hazardous than it would be at other times, and of course, viruses and infections are rife.

It is important, then, that you do whatever you can to keep your family safe this winter, and with that in mind, below are a few good places to start:

Give your car a winter health check

If you drive a car, then as well as ensuring you have Cars Protection Plus in place to ensure you can get help quickly if your car does breakdown or get involved in a winter accident because you know you will be covered for the costs, you should think about having your vehicle services to ensure the tire tread is good and the brakes are in good condition, which is really important at this time of year, and things like that. It’s so easy to skid on ice and get into an accident, which is the last thing you will want to put your family at risk of, so make sure the car is set for winter.

Install a carob monoxide detector

If you do not already have one, installing a carbon monoxide detector in your home this winter is likely to be a very good idea. Why? Because in winter, we will be using the furnace or lighting the fire more often, and when we do this, there is always a risk of carbon monoxide getting out and into our home. Although this risk is likely to be minimal if you regularly have your heating system services, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Install an alarm and ensure your family is alerted to any danger.

Practice good hygiene

If you have young kids, you will know that they don't always wash their hands as often as they should, but if you want to keep them safe from coughs and colds and more serious viruses, you need to encourage them to practice good hygiene by washing their hands regularly, blowing their nose on tissues and disposing of them right away in the bin, and so on. Families who are hot on hygiene are much less likely to get sick in the winter so it will be with it.

Shovel snow and salt paths

If you do not already have a big bag of rock salt and a shovel, then try to buy one as soon as possible, When winter hits, it is better to be prepared for any eventuality and if you have a shovel and salt available, you can get rid of snow from your driveway and neutralize ice so that it does not pose a slip, trip or fall risk on your property. No one needs a broken ankle, and your family will be much safer if the paths are cleared!

Keeping your family safe and healthy in winter is surely a priority, so please take the time to do all of the above, and you all stay safe out there.