The UK experienced one of the harshest winters in recorded history towards the end of 2009. As a result, many car and van drivers were completely unprepared for the conditions and many cars and vans were abandoned at the roadside as they were unable to progress along the icy and thick snow covered roads.

Snow driving poses its own unique problems for drivers, problems that we’re not that used to in the UK. There are some precautions we can take however to ensure that we’re not caught out by the weather in future, whether we drive older used cars or brand new cars.

First of all you should always ensure that you carry de-icer and a scraper in your car to guard against the morning freeze. Whatever the specifications of your car, whether it’s a Vauxhall or a Porsche, your windscreen will freeze over in cold temperatures.

You should also carry replacement screen wash in your car, so that you can deal with the grit that is thrown up from the roads onto your windscreen.

Of course the best way to really ensure that your car is ideally suited to the Arctic conditions is to choose a 4×4 from a quality car manufacturer. Many rear wheel drive cars, regardless of their build quality, struggled to move amid the icy conditions of the 2009 winter. Car manufacturers such as Vauxhall have a range of new and used cars, including the Vauxhall Antara – which is a 4×4, perfect for winter conditions.