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Road Safety - Drivers And Riders
Winter Driving Advice

During wintry weather conditions

Purple Arrow Ask yourself - is your journey absolutely essential?

Purple Arrow Check the local and national weather forecasts.

Purple Arrow Listen to local and national radio for travel information.

Purple Arrow Plan your journey.

Purple Arrow Tell someone at your destination what time you expect to arrive.

Purple Arrow Make sure you are equipped with warm clothes, food, boots and a torch. In snowy conditions, take a spade.

Purple Arrow Clear your windows and mirrors before you set out and carry a screen scraper and de-icer.

If you do get into trouble

Purple Arrow Do not use a mobile phone while driving. Stop somewhere safe or ask a passenger to make the call.

Purple Arrow On a motorway, it is best to use a roadside emergency telephone, because the breakdown/emergency services will be able to locate you easily. If you have to use a mobile phone, make sure you know your location from the numbers on the marker posts on the side of the hard shoulder.

Purple Arrow Abandoned vehicles can hold up rescue vehicles and snowploughs. To ensure that the road is cleared as quickly as possible, stay with your vehicle until help arrives.

Purple Arrow If you have to leave your vehicle to get help, make sure other drivers can see you.

Have you checked.....?

Purple Arrow There is anti-freeze in the radiator of your car.

Purple Arrow There is winter additive in the windscreen wash.

Purple Arrow That your battery is fully charged.

Purple Arrow That your car is regularly serviced.

Purple Arrow That all lights are working.

Purple Arrow Your tyres have the correct amount of air in them.

Purple Arrow That your tyres have plenty of tread depth.

Purple Arrow That your wiper blades are replaced if they are worn.

Purple Arrow You have an emergency pack in your car containing:
  • Ice scraper and de-icer.
  • Torch.
  • Warm clothes and blanket.
  • Food and drink.
  • Boots or wellingtons.
  • First aid kit.
  • Battery jump leads.
  • Spade to dig your car out of snow.
Winter Driving Advice

Adjust your driving to winter conditions

It may be necessary for you to adjust your driving to winter conditions, so remember ...

Purple Arrow Hail, heavy snow and rain reduce visibility.

Purple Arrow Use dipped headlights and reduce your speed.

Purple Arrow Take care with Winter sun, if it is too low for the visor keep a pair of sunglasses handy.

When roads are icy or slushly:

Purple Arrow Never assume a road has been gritted.

Purple Arrow It can take ten times longer to stop in icy conditions than on a dry road. Drive slowly, allowing extra room to slow down and stop.

Purple Arrow Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin.

Purple Arrow To brake on ice or snow without locking your wheels, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allow your speed to fall and use the brake pedal gently.

Purple Arrow If you start to skid, ease off the accelerator but do not brake suddenly.

Watch out for fog:

Purple Arrow Fog drifts rapidly and is often patchy.

Purple Arrow In foggy conditions, drive very slowly using dipped headlights.

Purple Arrow Use fog-lights if visibility is seriously reduced, but remember to switch them off when visibility improves.

Purple Arrow Don't hang on to the tail-lights of the vehicle in front. This gives you a false sense of security and means you may be driving too close.

Links

Purple Arrow BBC - How to drive in snow and icy weather

Purple Arrow Winter Maintenance and Gritting Information

Purple Arrow Be Bright, Be Seen

Purple Arrow Keeping Safe This Winter

Purple Arrow Highways Agency - Weather Watch

Purple Arrow BBC Weather Forecast for Warwickshire







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