The upcoming wet and windy winter months can often make driving a challenge. We’ve put together our 5 top tips for driving in these conditions and how to complete your journey safely.
When setting off in wintry conditions, it’s best to try to stay in as high a gear as possible whilst keeping your revs low. This will reduce the chance of your wheels spinning. Some cars now have an inbuilt winter mode, which does the same job.
Maintain a safe speed, this ensures that you have a safe stopping distance between your vehicle and the car in front of you. In extreme weather and wet conditions, you should leave up to ten times the original distance you would normally leave.
If your car does lose grip whilst you’re driving, try not to panic. The key thing is to take your foot off the accelerator and make sure that your wheels are pointing in the direction you want to go in. Also, try not to push down on your brake pedal as this will only increase the skidding of your vehicle.
Keep your headlights on, even during the day when driving in wintry conditions. Relying on daytime lighting is not enough when the weather is at its worst.
Finally, it’s important to think about the environment you’re driving in, especially with microclimates that might appear on the roads. These roads could stay icy and so you need to take extra care on them. Be aware of black ice on the roads and take extra caution when driving in these wintry conditions.
For further information on driving in wintry conditions and what you need to do to make sure your vehicle is ready for driving, call a member of the Macadams team on 0370 4285191