Travelling in the snow and ice
As the cold weather continues, people are
reminded to plan their journeys and travel with care.
Check your route and the weather forecast before you set out.
By Car
Before you set off it's worth taking a few minutes to make sure that
there aren't any problems on your intended route.
Visit
http://www.highways.gov.uk/traffic/traffic.aspx. You
can check for live updates as you travel too - but remember not to use
your phone while driving
Preparing to travel
- Get up at least 10 minutes earlier to give you time to prepare the
car.
- Don't drive off like a tank-commander, with a tiny hole cleared
in your windscreen. Clear all windows of snow and ice using a
scraper and de-icer.
- Use a cigarette lighter to warm a key for a frozen lock. Don't
breathe on the lock, as the moisture will condense and freeze.
- Besides an ice scraper and de-icer, it's worth carrying a mobile
phone with fully charged battery, torch, first-aid kit, tow rope,
blankets, warm coat and boots, jump leads, snow shovel, warning
triangle, an old sack or rug (to put under the wheels if you do get
stuck) and water repellent spray.
- Plan routes to favour major roads which are more likely to have
been gritted.
- Put safety before punctuality when the bad weather closes in.
While it's always a good idea to allow extra time in winter for your
journey, drivers must accept the inevitability of being late for
work if they are caught up in an unexpected delay.
Driving in snow and ice
- Stopping distances are 10 times longer in ice and snow.
- Gentle manoeuvres are the key to safe driving.
- Wear comfortable, dry shoes: cumbersome, snow-covered boots will
slip on the pedals.
- Select second gear when pulling away, easing your foot off the
clutch gently to avoid wheel-spin.
- When climbing a hill it's important to avoid having to stop on
the hill by waiting until it is clear of other cars or by leaving
plenty of room between you and the car in front. Try to maintain a
constant speed, choosing the most suitable gear well in advance to
avoid having to change down on the hill.
- When driving downhill, reduce your speed before the hill, use a
low gear and try to avoid using the brakes. Leave as much room as
possible between you and the car in front.
- Always apply brakes gently. Release them and de-clutch if the
car skids.
- If you have an automatic, then under normal driving conditions
(motorways, etc) it's best to select 'Drive' and let the gearbox do
the work throughout the full gear range. In slippery, snowy
conditions you can make driving much safer by selecting '2', which
limits the gear changes and also makes you less reliant on the
brakes. Many modern autos have a 'Winter' mode which locks out first
gear to reduce the risk of wheel spin. Check the handbook if you're
not sure.
- If you do get stuck, straighten the steering and clear the snow
from the wheels. Put a sack or old rug in front of the driving
wheels to give the tyres some grip. Once on the move again, try not
to stop until you reach firmer ground.
- Remember that local conditions, such as bends or overhanging
trees, can mean that you need to drive with care even after road
surfaces have been treated with salt.
Floods and standing water
- Only drive through water if you know that it's not too deep for
your car.
- Drive slowly and steadily to avoid creating a bow wave. Allow
oncoming traffic to pass first and test your brakes as soon as you
can after leaving the water.
- Don't try driving through fast-moving water, such as at a
flooded bridge approach – your car could easily be swept away.
- Driving fast through standing water is dangerous – tyres lose
contact with the road and you lose steering control in what's known
as 'aquaplaning'. Watch out for standing water, trying to avoid it
if you can, and adjust your speed to the conditions. If you do
experience aquaplaning, hold the steering wheel lightly and lift off
the throttle until the tyres regain grip.
- Driving fast through standing water is inconsiderate –driving
through water at speeds above a slow crawl can result in water being
thrown onto pavements, soaking pedestrians or cyclists. You could
face a hefty fine and between three and nine penalty points if the
police believe you were driving without reasonable consideration to
other road users.
- Driving fast through standing water can cause expensive damage –
the air intake on many cars is low down at the front of the engine
bay and it only takes a small quantity of water sucked into the
engine to cause serious damage. All engines are affected but
turbo-charged and diesel engines are most vulnerable.
- As you drive slowly through standing water keep the engine rev's
high by using a lower gear, otherwise water in the exhaust could
damage the catalytic convertor.
- If you break down in heavy rain don't prop the bonnet open while
you wait for the patrol to arrive – the engine will be more
difficult to start again if the electrics are all rain-soaked.
Maintaining the car for winter driving
Battery/electrics
- Lights, heaters and windscreen wipers put high demands on the
car battery. If the car is driven mainly in dark rush-hour trips,
the battery will give out eventually.
- Batteries rarely last longer than five years, so replacing them
near the end of their life can save a lot of time and inconvenience
at the side of the road when they finally fizzle out.
- Avoid running car electrics any longer than necessary – turn the
heater fan down and switch the heated rear window off once windows
are clear.
- If the car stands idle most of the weekend a regular overnight
trickle charge is a good idea to give the battery a chance to
revive.
- When you're starting up the car ensure that non-essentials like
lights, rear screen heater and wipers are turned off.
- Use the starter in short five-second bursts if the engine
doesn't start quickly, leaving thirty seconds between attempts to
allow the battery to recover.
Antifreeze
- Antifreeze costs only a few pounds, but a cracked engine block
will cost hundreds of pounds to repair.
- The majority of modern cars use long-life antifreeze, and it is
absolutely essential that you don't mix these with other types as
this can cause a sludge to form in the engine. If you're not sure
what type of antifreeze is in your car, take it to a dealer.
- Traditional glycol-based antifreeze should be changed at least
every two years.
A 50-50 mix of antifreeze and water in the cooling system is needed in
winter. This gives maximum protection down to -34° centigrade, and
without it, severe engine damage costing hundreds of pounds can
occur.
- If the fan belt squeals continually as soon as the engine is
started, that is a sign the water pump is frozen. The cylinder block
could be frozen too. Stop the engine immediately and allow it to
thaw out. This may take several days unless you can get the car
moved to a heated garage.
- Most commonly, it is just the radiator that freezes. The car
will begin to overheat within a few miles of home, as the coolant is
unable to circulate. Stop the car immediately and allow the radiator
to thaw.
Vision
- Through the winter months dazzle from the low sun can be a
particular problem. Improve vision significantly by making sure that
the windscreen is clean – inside and out. Scratches, abrasion and
chips on the outside can also worsen the dazzling effect of the sun.
- If you're suffering from greasy smears on the screen that don't
go with use of a normal screenwash additive then a little elbow
grease is required. First try using a cream glass polish with a
slight abrasive action. If that doesn't work then try dishwasher
powder dissolved in a little water – Use clean kitchen paper to
clean a small area at a time and try not to go back over a patch
you've just done.
- Use air conditioning for faster demisting and to reduce
condensation on cold windows.
- Keep the windscreen and other windows clear – if your vision is
obscured through dirt, snow or even sticker-infested car windows you
could face a hefty fine.
- Check windscreen wipers and replace if necessary.
- Make sure that wipers are switched off in the park position when
leaving the car, when there's risk of freezing. If you don't and the
blades freeze to the screen, you could damage the blades or wiper
motor when you turn the ignition on.
- Windscreen washer fluid should be topped up and treated with a
proprietary additive to reduce the chance of freezing in frosty
weather. Don't use ordinary engine antifreeze as it will damage
paintwork.
- Clear snow from the roof as well as from windows. Snow
piled up on the roof can fall onto the windscreen obscuring your
view and can also be a hazard to other road users.
Visibility
- Check that all bulbs are working and that headlights are clean
and aimed correctly.
- You must use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced.
You may also use front or rear fog lights but these must be switched
off when visibility improves as they can dazzle other road users and
obscure your brake lights.
- Keep the number plates clean too, as you can be fined if they
are dirty and illegible.
Tyres
- Check all tyres for condition,
pressure and tread depth. At
least 3mm of tread is recommended for winter motoring, and certainly
no less than 2mm.
- Don't reduce tyre pressures to get more grip – it doesn't work,
and reduces stability.
- Check you have a working jack and wheel brace, and that you know
how to change a wheel if necessary.
- It's rare to need snow chains unless you live in an isolated
area hit with heavy snow, and where the roads are not cleared. They
must be removed to drive on a road without a reasonable covering of
snow.
- Buy snow chains from a specialist supplier to ensure that
they're right for your vehicle, and practice fitting them in good
dry conditions.
- Consider changing to winter or all season tyres – these have a
higher silicone content in the tread which prevents it hardening at
lower temperatures, and therefore gives better grip in cold wet
conditions.
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