It’s that time of year again when you notice the mornings are getting light later, the nights are drawing in earlier, and more people are jumping in their cars making the main roads into the city centre run slower. We get more rain (or worse still, fog) reducing visibility and reducing grip on the road, and colder temperature reducing our hands’ responsiveness on the steering wheel. Couple this with the general depression nearly all of us feel during the winter months and the increased tension when it’s looking like we’ll be late for work or college again, and the likelihood of accidents on the road jumps up dramatically. Is it better to arrive late for work, or not at all?
For most of us, winter driving is no fun at all. If we really must drive rather than using public transport during this time, following these hints and tips can reduce the worst effects of the season and make our driving safer for us and other road users.
- Your journey will amost certainly take longer than during the summer months, so allow extra time for it
- Dark and poor weather conditions make driving more hazardous - slow down
- Keep your windscreen and all other windows clean and free from ice and snow
- Keep de-icer in you car. Also keep some in your house for when it is so frosty you can’t get in to your car!
- Keep headlights clean and in working order
- Use dipped headlights in poor weather and dull conditions. Never use foglightsunless visibility is seriously reduced
- Take care - pedestrians and cyclists may not be as visible as they think they are
- Listen to local radio stations to check road conditions before venturing out and take heed of the advice given. Check the weather forecast as well
- Remember it will take considerably longer to stop in icy conditions so allow plenty of room to slow down and stop. Manoeuvre gently using a high gear avoiding harsh braking and acceleration.
- Remember - it is always better to arrive late for work than to not arrive at all…
