Winter Driving Advice
Now that winter is firmly with us and the snow, ice and rain are almost a daily occurrence there are a few simple tips that should be observed for your own and others safety, these range from basic maintenance of your vehicle to driving skills and preparation for worst case scenarios.
Maintenance - check your vehicles fluids, check tyres and check all lights/indicators are working correctly
Visibility - Make sure you can see and that you can be seen
Focus - Pay attention, look well ahead and prepare for the un-expected
Gentle - Be gentle with your braking and acceleration
Preparation - Be prepared for the worst case scenario on your journey, let people know you are travelling if needed and be ready for it with warm clothing.
Your car should be fully maintained all the time but even more so during the winter and bad weather, windscreem wiper wash should be topped up with an antifreeze fluid and flushed through the system before freezing temperatures are expected to prevent freezing of the lines and also freezing when it is used on your windscreen. All other fluid levels should be checked and topped up along with checking the condition of your tires and changing for a winter compound if you have or are legally required to have snow tires fitted.
Before starting on any journey thoroughly de-ice and clean all the windows, not just the front windscreen, you need to be able to see all around so you can see and anticipate any possible problems and deal with them well in advance. Also de-ice and clean the mirrors and give your lights a clean as well, make sure you can see and be seen.
When on the road, drive at a suitable speed for the conditions, keep a good distance from the car in front and stay focused, be ready for someone else not being as careful as you, watch at that intersection, expect someone to pull out in front of you, being prepared and looking 200 meters in front of you will buy you those vital few seconds if needed.
When driving in snowy/icy conditions use the accellerator and brakes as gently as possible, if you have to brake be as gentle as possible and don't keep your foot on the brake, try to pump it gently, this will help prevent your wheels locking up and the vehicle losing traction with the road and turning into a sledge. If you are going down a hill that has snow on it try not to use your brakes at all and use only the engine itself to control the speed of your vehicle by driving in the lowest gear possible, you will have more control of the vehicle.
Accelerate and steer gently, again if your wheels start spinning, ease off on the gas until you feel you have traction again and then continue again, it will take a bit of practice to learn how to steer into a skid but gentle movements with the steering wheel and with the accelerator should keep you in control of the vehicle. When approaching junctions, start to slow down long before you get there, again using the engine and coming down through the gears, always use your mirrors and good indication well in advance to make others aware of your intentions.
A few other tips will be determined by where you are going, when you are going and who you are going with. If it is a long journey through isolated areas, let people know when you are leaving, when you are expecting to arrive and the route you are going to take, especially if there is likely to be no signal for your phone. Check your mobile phone is fully charged before you leave on any journey, check the road conditions on the route you will be taking 1hr before, it could be worse than the day before, take warm clothing and a blanket, if need be take a flask of coffee/soup especially if driving over night.
These are just a few tips for winter driving but could potentially save your life for taking a few extra minutes preparation
