PASSERS - Winter driving

WINTER DRIVING

Prepare for the worst and know how to deal with it.

The following information will help you keep safe on the roads this winter.

To help you experience bad conditions in safety book a bad weather driving lesson at my normal hourly rates and learn how to do it safely.

Get the know how before you need it.

In addition to the normal vehicle checks and servicing you should also:

top up anti-freeze and screenwash
check for wear and tear on wiper blades (replace them as soon as they start to smear rather than clean windows)
make sure your battery is fully charged (batteries last between two and four years - replace yours if it's no longer reliable)
keep tyre pressure at the manufacturer's recommended level and check you have at least 3 millimetres of tread
wipe dirt and spray off headlamps and make sure all bulbs are working

Carry an emergencykit which should include:

For longer journeys or if severe weather is forecast, you should add:

Daft though it sounds, sunglasses are useful too because of the glare in snowy conditions.

Plan your journey and check weather and travel advice.

Ask yourself whether you really need to travel or if you can delay your journey until conditions improve.

If you must travel, plan your route in advance and be prepared to take alternative routes if necessary.

Before you set off check live traffic information online with the highways agency website:

Listen to travel news and weather on local radio while driving. Set your in-car radio to TA (if you have a digital radio set it to Traffic Radio)

ARRIVE ALIVE.... TAKE LONGER, LIVE LONGER.

Drive to suit the conditions, stopping distances on slippery roads can be up to ten times longer than normal.

Reduce your speed and drive carefully, even if roads have been gritted.

In the most severe weather conditions, you should only drive if you really need to. Remember to check weather forecasts regularly.

It may be better to delay your journey until the weather improves.

Even after roads have been treated in winter, driving conditions may remain challenging - especially if there is a high risk of ice.

Be aware that ice forms more easily on:

hilly or exposed roads

roads that pass under or over a bridge

roads shaded by trees or buildings

If you start to skid:

Don't let winter turn you into a bad driver - Fred Bloggs is better to be late than to become the late Fred Bloggs.

You can also download the information covered here and in the Highway Code in the form of the Highways Agency leaflet 'Driving in severe weather'.