Better safe than sorry.

That’s true for helicopter pilots, deep sea divers...and anyone driving a van. Ensuring your safety is priority number one and something that you actually have to sort out. That’s because, to borrow another saying: safety doesn’t happen by accident.

Thankfully, safety isn’t complicated. And here are 6 easy steps you can take right now to stay safe whilst driving your van.

#1 Check your First-aid kit - Make sure that you’ve got one, and that it’s well-stocked with the essentials such as plasters, bandages, burn dressings, antiseptic wipes etc. Feel free to put this together or get one at your local hardware store.

#2 Double check your fire extinguishers - Check that you’ve got a couple: one in the cabin and one in the bay area of your van. Check the dates on them. Check that you’ve got the right sort.

#3 Carry a basic repair kit - As well as having suitable breakdown cover, make sure you’ve got a basic repair kit with a pair of jump leads, so you can fix any small problems yourself.

#4 Secure your cargo - Loose tools and heavy goods can cause a lot of damage in the event of an emergency stop. Secure your cargo before driving your van.

#5 Extreme weather-proof your van - Warm blankets, emergency food rations and a shovel. These are just a few of the things you should carry in the event of your van getting stuck in the snow. And since prevention is better than cure, topping up your antifreeze, fitting winter tyres and carrying a set of snow chains is also a good idea.

Also, in hot weather, don’t forget to carry plenty of drinking water and check your radiator is topped up.

#6 Never say you’re sorry - In the event of an accident with a third party, it’s incredibly important that you never admit fault. Instead, exchange insurance details with the other driver, take photos on your phone and let the insurance companies sort out the claims.