A Pass Ahead Driving School

Reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces make winter driving particularly hazardous. Good observation is essential so that you can interpret conditions accurately and adjust your speed accordingly. No matter what the other conditions, if you can't see the road clearly, you will need to reduce your speed so that you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear. This is a simple and fundamental principle of defensive driving.

In winter, road surfaces are frequently covered by frost and ice, but often not uniformly. Isolated patches and certain gradients will remain icy when the other parts have thawed. The good driver will therefore be on the lookout for these areas. If you drive too fast on a slippery or wet road surface your tyre grip will be substantially reduced and the risk of skidding increased. Remember - it is better to arrive a little later than not at all!

Smooth control is another essential element of safer winter driving. You should always aim to plan your action early and brake, steer and change gear as smoothly as possible so as not to affect the grip of your tyres on the road surface.

In poor weather especially, better, safer driving is about good preparation, good self-maintenance, good vehicle maintenance, the right knowledge, the right attitude and a thoughtful driving plan.


Prepare your vehicle for winter

Have your vehicle fully serviced before winter starts and have the anti-freeze tested.

Check that your lights are clean and working. Make sure your battery is fully charged. A faulty battery will let you down, probably at the most inconvenient time - so if in doubt change it before it fails!

Always keep the windscreen and windows clean and the washer bottle filled with screenwash to the correct concentration. This will prevent the solution from freezing.


Carry rescue equipment throughout the winter:

BEFORE setting off on a journey during wintry conditions:

Make sure you know and understand the hazards and risks of all types of weather conditions, especially ice, snow and fog - before you venture out.

Short-term weather forecasts are now very accurate, so listen to local/national weather broadcasts and to travel information bulletins on the radio. If conditions are very bad, avoid making your journey unless it is absolutely necessary.

Clear your windows and mirrors completely of snow and ice before you set off. (Make sure the heater is blowing warm air before setting off - it will keep your windscreen clear).


On the road in snow and ice

Hail, heavy snow and rain all reduce visibility - use dipped headlights. Only travel at a speed which you will be able to stop within the distance you can see to be clear.

Driving in windy conditions is stressful and tiring. We recommend a stop every two hours, for fresh air and hot drinks - but no alcohol. This is just a general guide - the important thing is that you stop before fatigue steps in, irrespective of how far you have travelled or how long you have been on the road.

Keep your vehicle well ventilated. The car heater full on can quickly make you drowsy.


REMEMBER - TIREDNESS KILLS

Always reduce your speed smoothly and in plenty of time on slippery surfaces. Avoid harsh braking and acceleration, or coarse steering.

Slow down in plenty of time for bends and corners. Black ice, caused when rain freezes on the road surface, will make your steering feel light. Respond by easing off the accelerator and being delicate with your steering movements.

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

In icy conditions, increase the gap between you and the vehicle in front. You may need to allow up to TEN TIMES the normal distance for braking.

Take care around winter maintenance vehicles. Salting vehicles are extremely powerful and travel at about 35mph spreading salt across all lanes of motorways and trunk roads. Keep a safe distance behind them - do not attempt to overtake.

In snow, stop frequently to clean the glass area, the wheel arches, the light and number plates.

KEEP YOUR SPEED DOWN AND GIVE YOURSELF TIME!


Avoiding Skidding

Skidding can generally be avoided through good observation and anticipation - and smooth use of the vehicle's controls. Your risk of skidding increases if your tyres do not have adequate tyre depth. The legal minimum tread depth for cars and light vehices in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre tread width and around the entire outer circumference of the tyre. If you are unsure about the tread depth of the tyres, get them checked by professionals. You won't want the police to check them!

Faulty tyres could cost you up to £2,500 - per tyre!

Correct tyre pressures are also very important. Under-inflated tyres will increase your fuel consumption. Over-inflated tyres will reduce your grip on the road, making it vital that you reduce your speed.

Skid correction is a complex subject

Generally however, the first requirement in all skids, is to identify and remove the cause, whether it was too much speed for the circumstances, harsh braking or acceleration, or coarse steering. The appropriate response after doing this will then depend upon the type of skid and whether your vehicle is front wheel, rear wheel or 4-wheel drive.

It is better to avoid skidding rather than hope you can control a skid when it happens. Such a hope is rarely realised.


If you get stuck in a snowdrift

Try to get out of a rut by moving slowly backwards and forwards using the highest gear you can.

Abandoned vehicles can cause problems for rescue vehicles and snowploughs. To ensure that the road is cleared as quickly as possible, you are advised to stay with your vehicle until help arrives. Do not leave your engine running, as this can lead to a dangerous build-up of fumes.

If you have to leave your vehicle to get help make sure you can be seen by other vehicles.


Fog

The ability to see and to hear clearly is vital for drivers to take in information and to be able to make appropriate decisions. Fog is therefore the most potentially dangerous of all weather conditions. Freezing fog - when poor visibility is compounded by the road surface being slippery - is a driver's worst nightmare.

Remember to drive defensively and always to be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear. If the fog closes in, then lose more speed.

In any conditions of reduced visability, an accident involving one vehicle can quickly involve many others, especially if they are driving too fast and too close to one another. Multiple vehicle pile-ups reported in the media demonstrate that many drivers do not adjust their driving sufficiently for the conditions.

AVOID DRIVING IN FOG UNLESS YOUR JOURNEY IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

If you must drive:

REDUCE YOUR SPEED AND KEEP IT DOWN - CAN YOU STOP IN TIME?

If you break down, inform the police and get the vehicle off the road as soon as possible. Never park on the road in fog and never leave it without warning lights of some kind if it is on the wrong side of the road.

Breaking down on the motorway

• Pull onto the hard shoulder, park as far over to the left as you can, away from traffic, and turn on your hazard warning lights.

• Get yourself and any passengers out of the vehicle immediately, using the doors on the left hand side furthest from the traffic. While you wait for help, keep well away from the carriageway and hard shoulder and do not try even the simplest of repairs.

• Try to use the emergency roadside telephones rather than a mobile phone. This will help traffic officers and emergency services know exactly where you are.

Driving in the rain

• When the road's wet, it can take up to twice as long to stop so it makes sense to slow down when it's raining.

• If your vehicle loses its grip, or "aquaplanes", on surface water take your foot off the accelerator to slow down. Don't brake or steer suddenly because you have no control of the steering or brakes.

Driving in windy weather

• High-sided vehicles are particularly affected by windy weather but strong gusts can blow a vehicle, cyclist, motorcyclist, or horse rider off course. This can happen on open stretches of road exposed to strong crosswinds, or when passing bridges and high-sided vehicles.

Floods

• If you can avoid it, it's best not to drive through lying surface water as you might flood your engine. The deepest water is usually nearest the kerb.

• If you do have to drive through flooded roads, use first gear. Move forward immediately to avoid stalling the engine. Keep your revs high and depress your clutch when you need to.

• Test your brakes after passing through the water. If they work then you can drive on at your usual speed providing it's safe to do so.

Winter and spring sun

Winter and spring sunlight can present drivers with an unexpected hazard. The angle of the sun in the sky will frequently be too low for your visor to be able to help. If you are blinded by glare, reduce your speed.

Reduce the effect of glare by keeping both the inside and outside of your windscreen clean and grease free.

Dark lenses (or dark prescription lenses if you are short-sighted) are suitable for combating glare, but all dark tinted lenses should be removed whenever the sun goes in. Dark lenses must not be worn in duller weather or at night as they seriously reduce the ability to see.