Guide: Going on Christmas vacation by car

Christmas is also the time to travel, whether it's to visit relatives or to go skiing during the winter vacations. Longer journeys by car should be well prepared, advises the Automobile Club of Germany. This includes checking the weather forecast in advance of the planned departure. If snowfall or even freezing rain is forecast, you should consider postponing the start of your journey by one or two days if possible.

Of course, you can't always rely on weather forecasts, so there are a few things you should take with you on a long winter drive to be on the safe side. Snow chains - or at least so-called starting aids - and work gloves should be in the car at the latest when leaving the lowlands and driving through medium or even high mountain regions. The fitting of snow chains should be practiced at home beforehand. The AvD also recommends taking a headlamp with you.

In snowfall, the risk of traffic jams increases disproportionately and there may be longer forced breaks. In such cases, you should have one or two blankets ready to hand in the vehicle, as it is not a good idea to leave the engine running so that the heating can work in traffic jams that may last several hours. If things go badly, the tank will empty before the traffic starts moving again. A thermos flask with a hot drink is also a good idea, just in case. Although warm winter clothing will also be on board for longer journeys, it should not be worn on the body during the journey as it can impair freedom of movement and the seatbelt. It should only be put on in the car if necessary.

If you park in winter areas, you should not park your car with the handbrake on, but only secure it against rolling away with the gear engaged. There is a risk of it freezing or rusting. It is then almost impossible to drive off. This is caused by small droplets of water that can form between the brake pads and discs even when the road appears to be dry. It is enough if the car has rolled through a puddle of meltwater shortly before stopping, warns the German Automobile Club. The club warns against using a de-icer spray: it contains greasy ingredients that can massively impair the effectiveness of the brakes if they get onto the brake disk. When parking on steep downhill gradients, it is advisable to use a brake wedge or a large stone in front of one of the wheels facing downhill in addition to the gear engaged.

When driving on snow and ice, it is generally advisable to increase the tire pressure by 0.2 bar above the value specified by the vehicle manufacturer. On the one hand, this opens up the tread, which improves both the grip of the tires and the self-cleaning of the tread. At the same time, a slightly higher air pressure reduces the footprint of the tire, resulting in a higher contact weight. This improves the traction between the tire and the road surface. (aum)