Wednesday 30 November 2011

Tips For Driving In Winter




Do you know how to drive during horrible weather conditions? Driving in snow can involve some hazardous situations; from the increased hours of darkness to the snow sleet and ice, one cannot be too cautious. A few minutes planning and thinking ahead will definitely prevent disasters especially in harsh winter conditions. We are usually aware of bad weather forecasts or when bad weather conditions are predicted but only about half of the road users bother with proper precautions according to the highways agency.

According to statistics a lot of road users still drive during bad weather conditions, this makes it more important to enlighten people about the dangers of driving in the snow and how they can prevent any disasters by planning ahead. The ability of your vehicle tyres to grip the road is extremely reduced when it is filled with ice or snow this makes mundane tasks like slowing down, speeding up and changing direction dangerous/hazardous, so drivers need to be aware of this and be careful. If you have a vehicle that has cruise control, avoid using it when driving on slippery and icy roads.

The importance of having a winter weather kit and checking the weather forecast before starting a journey cannot be over-emphasized; one cannot predict what could go wrong when driving on a snowy road. Having a winter weather kit could save your life. Your winter weather kit can include jumper cables, electric flares, warming clothing and footwear, a first aid kit, candles and a lighter and energy foods and drinks. Drivers who expect to be driving during winter should not only prepare their cars but also prepare themselves. Ensure that your car has been recently serviced, with all parts of the car functioning properly like ensuring your engine has anti-freeze and your fuel tank and washer fluid are topped up. Having some extra warm clothes in the car is definitely a must especially when travelling long distances. Also winter tyres or snow tyres should be considered as they help improve traction when starting and stopping your car.

Four-wheel drives are highly recommended for winter, the extra traction provided by having a car with all four wheels working together could help avoid those life threatening moments that can occur when driving in snow. Obviously not everyone has one or can afford one but if you run a business that requires you travelling a lot during the snowy period you might want to consider buying or even leasing one, there are a lot of leasing companies out there now who offer both short-term and long-term car leasing deals on four-wheel drives.

We all know how unpredictable the British weather is; if you have no choice but to drive during winter ensure that you are prepared in every way possible for the bad weather conditions.

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