Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is hosting a winter driving expo to help road users stay safe this winter and it may be worth a trip ‘over the hill’ to take part.

The interactive expo will feature chain fitting demonstrations, information about car tyre depth with free keychain giveaways for attendees to use on their own car, as well as free window ice scrapers and cloths to keep vision clear on frosty mornings.

There will also be a NZ Police seatbelt simulator to demonstrate how a seatbelt works and its benefits in a collision, as well as tips on car seat installation from Plunket.

Attendees will be able to pick up a ‘bingo card’ and get it stamped at each stall they visit. With three stamps they can go in the draw to win prizes sponsored by local businesses.

QLDC property and infrastructure general manager Pete Hansby said the expo, on May 30, would be a great way for the public to learn safe driving tips for the winter ahead.

“We want to get people thinking about how they can adjust their driving, particularly on icy, snowy roads this winter. Even for those who have lived in Queenstown Lakes for a while, it will be a good refresher of some important winter driving tips,” he said.

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“There’s also some fantastic prizes to be won, thanks to the generous contributions of local businesses.” 

The expo is on the same day as the Whakatipu Ski Club Annual Snow Gear Sale, so it’s a good time to stock up on snow gear and learn some winter driving tips, he said

“We aim to have people leave the expo with ‘Drive to the conditions, not the vehicle’ in mind, to ensure a safe winter season for all road users.”

The expo will be held at Queenstown Events Centre, 9.00am to 12.30pm, on Sunday May 30.

Prizes include a Highlands Motorsport Park ‘Winter Drive Experience; for one; avoucher up to $300 for a set of chains, plus ten ice scrapers from Shotover Engineering; a full tune voucher from Torpedo 7, and much more.

PHOTO: Wanaka App