5 Top Tips To Prepare Your Car (& You) For The Daily Commute

Now that the working from home advice has been withdrawn in England, people all over the country are facing the prospect of returning to the daily commute.

In a recent poll carried out by Blackcircles.com we found that 51% of our followers were not ready for the return to the daily commute and 58% prefer working from home.

It would seem, that whether you have a long commute or a shorter commute, for many of us, we are simply out of practise.

Commuting can be stressful as we try and get to work on time with the minimum amount of fuss. Part of commuter stress can occur when events unfold, that you were not ready for. Be it a traffic jam, a warning light coming on in the car or a flat tyre. 

Of those who answered in the Blackcircles.com social poll, 59% named traffic as their least favourite part of commuting.

So, here are some top tips on how to get your car ready for the daily commute.

1. Car Cleanliness

Make sure that your car is clean is always a good idea - You don't need to spend hours cleaning your car but getting all the junk out of it and giving it a quick vacuum isn't going to hurt! A clean interior will make your journey more comfortable and less distracting when running the commuters gauntlet.

2. Work Items Ready

Have everything that you need in one place and ready to go can take some stress out of the morning.

Running around looking for the items you need to take with you - water bottles, laptop bags and books - wastes time on the daily commute. Keeping these items organised and in one place will save you valuable minutes.

3. Plan For The Unexpected

Plan your daily commute and work out the best route to take - driving daily can be a stressful time, especially at rush hours, as we never know if we will hit a traffic jam or roadworks.

Planning your commute and looking for alternatives will help you be ready when life throws a spanner in the works. If you’re prepared for this, then it should also make your journey more relaxing. Knowledge is power, and all that.

For more help on driving during the winter months, check out our piece on winter driving tips.

4. Car Maintenance

Make sure that your car is properly maintained - now is a good time to ensure that your car is ready to drive daily.

This can mean some simple tasks such as checking engine oil levels, tyre pressures and the car’s various fluids. One of the most dangerous daily commutes is when visibility is poor. Checking your wipers, lights and heating will ensure that you have a comfortable drive to work on those dark misty mornings.

5. Tyre Safety

You may say that tyre safety could come under ‘Car Maintenance’ – but, we’re Blackcircles.com. We have a special interest in tyres.

It’s important to check your tyres on a regular basis. It's easy to forget about checking your tyres but this could be a dangerous oversight. Keep an eye on tyre pressure weekly and check for any signs of wear or damage as you go.

To check that your tyres have a legal tread depth you can either use a tread depth guide or, if you do not have one of these,  use a 20p piece.

A full run down on tyre safety can be found here – the importance of looking after your tyres.

Good Luck

Driving daily can be a stressful time so taking the extra steps to prepare your car for the daily commute could make all the difference.