Guide To Driving & Surviving In Winter

Breaking down

Breaking down

On long winter journeys, prepare for the possibility of breaking down by dressing warmly and taking a flask of hot soup or tea, extra blankets and warm winter shoes. If you break down on the motorway, remember to park as far to the left on the hard shoulder as possible, and turn on your hazard warning lights. Get everyone out of the vehicle by the left hand doors and stay well away from the road. It's also worth considering bringing a shovel and maybe some hessian bags, if there is a possibility of snow & ice. You never know when you may get stuck in soft ground or deep snow!

In snow and ice

Before youset out,remove iceand snowfrom allover yourvehicle usinga windscreenscraper ora de-icer,and clearyour carlock witha keyde-icer. Makesure thatall windowsand mirrorsare totallycleared ofice andsnow?The HighwayCode statesthat itis illegalto drivewith poorvisibility. Don'tjust cleara smallpatch ofyour windscreen! Otherwise, muchof thesame advicefor drivingin thewet appliesif youfind yourselfdriving throughsnow orice. Slowdown andleave plentyof roombetween youand thevehicle infront. Useyour headlightsif necessary.Brake andaccelerate gently. It's notalways easyto tellif you'redriving onice. Ifyou doskid, don'tbrake oryou'll lockthe wheelsand losecontrol unless you're car is fitted with ABS (anti lock brake system). Instead,depress theclutch andsteer intothe directionof theskid. Whenthe carstraightens, steeras normal. If you experience wheel spin when moving off, then, try a higher gear. 2nd gear reduces the torque going to the drive wheels and therefore reduces wheelspin.

In the wet

Driving inheavy rainis difficultand canbe treacherous,but onlyif youdon't heeda fewsimple precautions.For astart, slowdown: thewetter theroads, thelonger yourbraking distance,and theheavier therain, theworse yourvisibility. Eitherway, drivingcautiously andleaving agood distancebetween youand thevehicle infront isthe safestthing todo. Ifthere's lotsof surfacewater around,you couldfind thecar losinggrip, oraquaplaning. Don'tbrake orsteer suddenly.Instead, takeyour footoff theaccelerator andslow downgently.

Emergency Stopping

You may have more need for a well-executed emergency stop in the slippery conditions of winter, so remember the rules. Try to apply the brake, without locking the wheels. If the vehicle starts to skid, ease pressure from the pedal and then reapply. If your car is fitted with ABS (Anti lock brakes) then DO NOT ease the pressure on the foot brake. Keep braking firmly, as ABS requires firm pressure for the system to work. Press the clutch in just before you stop. Try to avoid emergency stops by looking & planning well ahead, so you can slow down sooner!

Car maintenance

You mightbe OKto drive,but whatabout thecar? Keepingyour vehiclewell maintainedis importantall yearround, butdoubly soin winter.For example,worn tyreswon't holdthe roadin wetconditions aswell asthose witha good,deep tread.Before settingoff, makesure allexterior lightsare workingcorrectly, thatcar windscreenwiper bladesare ingood condition.Check theoil, coolantand washerfluid levels& payparticular attentionto theanti-freeze contentof yourcooling andwashing systems and also make sure you have plenty of fuel for your journey.

Is your journey necessary?

If your journey is not necessary then why run the risk? Wait until conditions improve before attempting a long journey, that way you can be sure you & your family will be safe!!

Happy motoring & have a safe start to 2010

by: Phil Mann

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