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We all know that vehicle breakdowns increase in winter - according to RAC, 9.5% are in November, over 9% in December, over 10% in January and over 8.5% in February, adding up to nearly two in five breakdowns in just one third of the year.


Breakdown recovery professionals can expect a spike in demand as we move from October into November, and if you also recover crashed and damaged vehicles, slippery wet roads and any snow or icy weather will further add to that increase.


1. Check your own vehicles

There's no crueller irony than a broken down recovery truck, so make sure you check your own vehicles well ahead of the worst weather - remember they'll need to be up to the task of towing or carrying a broken down car during a call-out, so they need to be in the best possible condition for more than just empty driving.


2. High visibility

As well as the mechanics of your vehicles, check all of their high visibility features. Clean reflective strips and fluorescent paintwork and check that fog lights and other indicators are in good, bright and clean condition.

Winter has plenty of ways to reduce visibility, from heavy rain, to fog, to more hours of darkness - including during rush hour - so be prepared to recover vehicles in less than ideal conditions, to say the least.


3. Breakdown recovery insurance

Breakdown recovery insurance should cover your own vehicles and any that you recover from the roadside, which can create some fairly complex road risks that are best protected against with a bespoke policy.

It's an unfortunate fact that often, you are required to recover a vehicle from wherever it happens to have come to a stop - locations can be exposed and dangerous, and again, adequate cover and generous indemnity limits are a sensible precaution.


4. Happy holidays

The busiest days on the roads are right around the Christmas and New Year holidays, so be prepared. Decide if you will answer emergency call-outs on the main holidays and consider setting up an automated reply if not, to redirect callers to someone who will be able to recover their vehicle - you won't lose any business that you wouldn't have turned down anyway, and it helps to make a positive long-term impression.


5. Just in case...

Breakdown recovery professionals should know better than anyone that vehicle breakdowns are unpredictable, especially in heavy weather, so don't get caught out in your own cab.

Have warm clothes and blankets close by in case your own vehicle breaks down without heating, have a fully charged phone or some other way to call in for help from a colleague, and consider carrying a drink just in case you're stuck at the roadside for a long time in the worst winter weather conditions.