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Winter driving advice

Winter is a busy time for breakdown companies, insurance call centres and casualty departments. Drivers often have to contend with ice, fog, snow, salt spray and low sun all in a single journey. We would like to provide fleet operators with advice on winter driving.

Staying safe on the roads in winter is a matter of good preparation, good vehicle maintenance, the right knowledge and the right attitude.The European winter, especially in the Northern parts, is unpredictable and bad weather can strike suddenly. If you must drive, make sure you are prepared for the conditions.

• Check the local and national weather forecasts.
• Listen to local and national radio for travel information.
• Tell someone at your destination what time you expect to arrive.
• Make sure you are equipped with warm clothes, food, boots and a torch. In snowy conditions, take a spade.
• Please bear in mind that in some countries snow chains are obligatory.
• Carry a screen scraper and de-icer with you. Always fully clear your windscreen and side windows of ice and condensation before driving off - NEVER merely clear a small ‘porthole’ in the windscreen.

• Do not use a mobile phone while driving, unless you use a hands free system. Stop somewhere safe or ask a passenger to make the call.
• On a motorway, it is best to use a roadside emergency telephone, because the breakdown/emergency services will be able to locate you easily. If you have to use a mobile phone, try to describe your position in as much detail as possible.
• Abandoned vehicles can hold up rescue vehicles and snowploughs. To ensure that the road is cleared as quickly as possible, stay with your vehicle until help arrives.
• If you have to leave your vehicle to get help, make sure other drivers can see you. Please bear in mind that you are obliged to wear “warning jackets” in some countries when leaving the car on a motorway (e.g. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland).

In winter it is even more important to check your vehicle is well maintained and serviced.

• Keep the lights, windows and mirrors clean and free from ice and snow.
• Keep your battery fully charged.
• Ensure anti-freeze has been added to the radiator and winter additive to the windscreen washer bottles.
• Make sure wipers and lights are in good working order.
• Make sure to change winter tyres in time (if not already done).
• Check that tyres have plenty of tread depth and are maintained at the correct pressure.

• Hail, heavy snow and rain all reduce visibility.
• Use dipped headlights and reduce your speed. BE SEEN BE SAFE
• Keep your vehicle well ventilated. Driving with the car heater full on can make you drowsy.

• It can take ten times longer to stop in icy conditions than on a dry road. Drive slowly, allowing extra room to slow down and stop.
• Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin.
• Traction Control can sometimes impair your ability to pull away once you have stopped. If this happens disable the system and then once moving enable it again.
• Manoeuvre gently, avoiding harsh braking, acceleration and steering.
• To brake on ice or snow without locking your wheels, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allow your speed to fall and use the brake pedal gently. THINK AHEAD!
• If you start to skid, ease off the accelerator but do not brake suddenly.

• Watch out for fog - it drifts rapidly and is often patchy.
• In foggy conditions, drive very slowly using dipped headlights.
• Use fog-lights if visibility is seriously reduced, but remember to switch them off when visibility improves.
• Don't hang on to the tail-lights of the vehicle in front. This gives you a false sense of security and means you may be driving too close.
• Don't speed up suddenly, even if it seems to be clearing. You can suddenly find yourself back in thick fog.

• Dazzle from winter sun can be dangerous. Keep a pair of sunglasses handy.

In wet weather, stopping distances are likely to be double those required for stopping on dry roads. This is because your tyres have less grip on the road. In wet weather:

• You should keep well back from the vehicle in front. This will increase your ability to see and plan ahead.
• If steering becomes unresponsive, it probably means the water is preventing the tyres from gripping the road. Ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually.
• The rain and spray from vehicles may make it difficult to see and be seen.

• Don't attempt to cross if the water seems too deep.
• Drive slowly in first gear but keep the engine speed high by slipping the clutch [depressing the clutch pedal so that the engine revs increase but still maintaining drive] - this will stop you from stalling.
• Avoid the deepest water, usually near the kerb.
• Remember - test your brakes when you are through the flood before you drive at normal speed.

• Take care when travelling behind winter service vehicles.
• Drivers are advised to maintain a safe distance behind salting vehicles travelling at low speeds. Do not attempt to overtake (only if absolutely necessary).
• Snow ploughing can throw up irregular amounts of snow that may be a hazard to vehicles. Drivers are advised to maintain a safe distance behind plough vehicles and not to attempt to overtake (only if absolutely necessary).

For more details please see: http://www.fleetlogistics.com