Like it or not the cold weather is now officially here for the next four months or so. As well as that not being a particularly nice thought it also means that your car will under greater stress and that means there is a greater chance of car breakdown issues.

Winter is a hazardous season for all drivers with bad visibility, ice and the weather making things that much harder for you as a driver. It also means things get decidedly more testing for your car too as plunging temperatures can put strain on even the most reliable car, upping the possibility of a car breakdown.

The fact is that no matter how well you look after your car you simply cannot wrap all the parts in cotton wool. And you can therefore not guarantee that some tiny component will not cause you to breakdown.

Research suggests that more than one in ten people don't have car breakdown cover despite that fact that cover can cost as little as £30 though Rescue My Car

There are other things you can do to keep your car in shape this winter and we will cover these at length over the coming weeks but to start things off some of the more important ones to help avoid car breakdown issues are:

- Monitor your oil, brake fluid and water levels

- Check your tyres - the legal minimum tread is 1.6mm and good tyres are essential on icy roads

- Check tyre pressure

- Top up the anti-freeze in your radiator and add anti-freeze to your windscreen washer fluid

For more great winter car advice or to arrange for some winter car breakdown cover contact the Rescue My Car team now on 0800 0199519.