Winter Driving Tips & Advice

As the days are getting shorter and the weather becomes
cold, driving can become a bit of a hazardous task with the Icey roads and low
lying sun in your eyes. It’s very important at this time of year that you make
sure your vehicle is up to the job and you are prepared for the worst case
scenarios.

Make sure you check all your cars fluid levels are up to the
required levels and don’t forget the antifreeze and your window wash.

Check your tyres have a good
tread, remember it should be a minimum of 1.6mm across the central three quarters and around the entire outer circumference, but remember the deeper your tread depth, the greater your tyres will grip the road and they will perform better when stopping. 

Just as important is to check the tyre pressures but the tyres need to be cold when you do
this as hot air will expand and give you a false reading. Under inflated tyres can cause drag which will cost you more fuel but can also affect your steering and grip on the road. In these wet or icy conditions, good tyres can make all the difference in
keeping you and your family safe.

I would suggest keeping a blanket or a warm coat in the car
along with a torch, maybe a fluorescent bib and a warning triangle just
in case you have a breakdown and you end up waiting a while for the recovery
vehicle. Remember depending on where you breakdown, you may have to wait outside
the car for safety and your warning triangle needs to be around 45ft behind your car to help warn other drivers of your broken down vehicle.

It’s also important to make sure all your windows and mirrors
are clear and usable, it’s amazing how clogged up they can become once the
gritters are out spreading salt on the roads. While driving in darkened hours
having clean windows will help reduce the glare of oncoming vehicles
headlights.

Make sure all your headlights and tail lights are in
working order, as the days get darker you will need to make sure you can be
seen. 

And most importantly is your driving, try to plan ahead and
if the roads are wet then you need to keep twice as much distance from the
vehicle in front of you and up to ten times the distance if the roads are Icey. If there is severe bad weather, ask yourself is your journey essential, sometimes it may be safer just to sit it out at home.