Motorists are being told how to jump-start their vehicles as Britain continues to face battery draining sub-zero temperatures.
Experts at Road Angel have issued simple guidance on how to use jump leads to start a car if the battery has been completely depleted by freezing temperatures.
They say many drivers no longer own a pair of jump leads but in an emergency they can be an extremely useful piece of kit.
But it’s essential that drivers understand how to jump start their vehicles safely as failure to follow the steps in the correct order can lead to a risk of serious electric shock or permanent damage to the vehicle.
This is how to use jump leads – explained in nine simple steps:
1. Park car with live battery alongside car with run down battery, turn off engine and pop open both bonnets.
2. Attach red cable to the positive terminal on dead battery.
3. Attach other end of red cable to positive terminal on live battery.
4. Attach black cable to negative terminal on live battery.
5. Attach other end of black cable to the negative terminal on dead battery.
6. Start engine of car with live battery.
7. Start engine of car with dead battery – it should now jump into life.
8. Disconnect all cables, taking care to do so in reverse order.
9. Close bonnets and take jump started car for a 45-minute drive at above 1,000 revs per minute to fully charge the battery.
Gary Digva from Road Angel said: “With the UK currently shivering through a period of cold weather many motorists may find their car battery is flat when they attempt to start it in the morning.
“Twenty years ago most drivers would’ve been competent with a pair of jump leads but the improved reliability of modern vehicles means many of us now don’t possess the skills required to get our cars moving again.
Mr Digva added that the safest way to get a car moving again after a flat battery was a simple jump start from a second vehicle with a charged battery.
He said: “Jump leads can be purchased for around £10 to £15 online and are safe to use when connected in the correct order.
“With both cars turned off first connect the red lead to the positive terminal on the dead battery, then connect the other end to the positive terminal on the charged battery.
“Next, connect the black lead first to the negative terminal on the charged battery and finally to the negative terminal on the dead battery.
“Then start the charged car and once the engine is running, start the car with the dead battery and it should jump into action. The leads can then be disconnected in the reverse order they were connected.
“The newly jump started car should then be taken for a good run of around 45 minutes to allow the alternator to fully recharge the battery.
“The car needs to be driven at over 1,000 revs per minute so it’s best to head to a duel carriageway or a main road where you’re unlikely to encounter traffic.”