In the winter time there are more accidents on the road with confused.com reporting that as many as a quarter of all motorists have had some sort of incident in poor driving conditions during the winter.
The motoring editor at confused.com; Amanda Stretton explained that many people get tempted to drive as quickly as possible in bad weather so they can reach their destination quickly but driving fast in poor conditions is dangerous and drivers should be more careful and planning their journeys carefully first.
The report also showed that ten percent of drivers decide to stay off the roads when the conditions are poor. However, many people have to drive, as they cannot miss work or other important appointments. Northgate, who lease and rent vans have come up with some advice for those who do this.
They explain that people should prepare in advance so that they know their vehicle is ready for bad weather. The Express newspaper, among others has already been reporting that the UK is going to have its coldest winter for 35 years, according the Met Office and so people have had a warning and should now be acting on it before it is too late. Below is a list of things you should check on your vehicle before the weather gets even worse:
- Check the car battery to make sure that it can cope. A specialist will be able to see whether a battery is almost worn out and needs replacing so that it can cope or whether it will see you through the winter.
- Antifreeze is essential to make sure that the car doesn’t freeze up so make sure that there is some in the engines cooling system.
- Make sure your screen wash is topped up as there is a lot more dirt on the roads in poor weather due to the grit spread on the roads and the wash will make sure the windscreen and wipers are kept really clean. It will also be better than water as it freezes at a lower temperature
- Lights are really important as it will be darker for longer and you may even need them in the day. Make sure that they are all working and also make sure that they are clean as the dirt form the salt and grit can make them get dirty very quickly and they will be less effective if they are not clean
- Make sure that your tyres are safe. Even if they are legal, they will still be safer if they have a deeper tread and so consider getting them changed before the roads get really slippery.
As well as making sure that the car is in its best state to be driven, you need to make sure that you are prepared in case you get stuck in the snow or breakdown. You should have a selection of things with you:
- A warm change of clothes including coat, hat, scarf, gloves, thick socks and wellingtons so if you get wet trying to repair or dig out the car, you can easily get warm again.
- A hi-visibility vest – so that you can be seen easily if you are outside of the car
- A warm blanket so that you can keep as warm as possible while waiting or help
- A foil or emergency blanket just in case
- A first aid kit
- An ice scraper
- De-icer for windscreen
- A shovel to dig out the tyres
- A warning triangle
- A tow rope
- A torch
- High quality car mats which can be wedged under the wheels to help get out of snow
- Spare exterior light bulbs
- A map book, as sat nav will not work if the car has a flat battery
- In car charger for your mobile phone
- Drinking water
- Medication that you or passengers may need
- Food or snacks
It can be wise to be even more prepared if you expect to do a lot of driving in the winter conditions. It is possible to do a winter driving course which should help. There are different options for this such as snow drift training in Solden, Austria by BMW and in Sweden you can do a Lapland Ice Driving course. There is also a Drift Academy by Ice Drive Sweden where you are able to learn more.
Obviously going to a cold location for a course makes sense as they have a lot more knowledge in this area. However there are UK courses if you are not planning on going abroad. There is a Goodwood Extreme Weather Driving course, for example which teaches about how to handle a car when you are skidding. There are also free driving winter workshops run by Transport for Bucks in Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Chesham. These are taught by a former police officer and will give you guidance on what to do when driving in wintery conditions as well as showing you what basic checks you should be doing on your vehicle before setting out. You can book your place by emailing roadsafety@buckscc.gov.uk.