Nine Steps to Use Jump Leads Safely

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 using jump leads to start a car if freezing temperatures have completely depleted the battery.

They say many drivers no longer own a pair of jump leads, but they can be an instrumental piece of kit in an emergency.

But drivers must understand how to jump-start their vehicles safely, as failure to follow the steps correctly can lead to a risk of serious electric shock or permanent damage to the car.

This Is How to Use Jump Leads – Explained in Nine Simple Steps:

1. Park the car with a live battery alongside the vehicle with a run-down battery, turn off the engine and pop open both bonnets.

2. Attach the red cable to the positive terminal on the dead battery.

3. Attach the other end of the red cable to the positive terminal on the live battery.

4. Attach a black cable to the negative terminal on the live battery.

5. Attach another end of the black cable to the negative terminal on the dead battery.

6. Start the engine of the car with a live battery.

7. Start the car’s engine with a dead battery – it should now jump to life.

8. Disconnect all cables, taking care to do so in reverse order.

9. Close the bonnets and take a jump-started car for a 45-minute drive at above 1,000 revs per minute to charge the battery fully.

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 competing with a pair of jump leads, but the improved reliability of modern vehicles means many of us 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 click 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 vehicle 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 recharge the battery fully.

“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.”

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