DRIVERS in North Yorkshire have been urged to take five minutes to ensure their vehicles are ready for winter weather.

North Yorkshire Police have advised drivers to carry out the following basic checks so their cars can be fixed before the coldest conditions set in:

• Check exterior light bulbs - brake lights and all headlight beam settings - are working.

• Check your wiper blades are clearing windscreen without streaking or juddering.

• Test your oil, radiator fluid and windscreen washer levels.

• Ensure there is at least 3mm of tread on all tyres. The legal minimum is 1.6mm.

• Carry a bottle of water for your washer reservoir and a can of de-icer.

• If taking a longer journey, carry food, hot drinks, blankets and a fully-charged mobile phone, and always clear the windscreen properly of ice and snow before setting off.

A police spokesman said: "This winter we'll undoubtedly get called to a lot of road incidents involving ice and snow.

"Taking five minutes now to check your vehicle won't just give you time to rectify any problems, it could also prevent you having a nasty crash when the cold weather sets in."

For more tips on winter driving, go to northyorkshire.police.uk/winterdriving