Winter Driving Safety
Winter Driving Tips from Halfords
The winter months in the UK are getting tougher and tougher with rain, snow, ice and road chaos becoming part of everyday life. Millions of motorists get stranded every year, many simply due to the fact that they fail to think about winter driving safety.
With that in mind, Halfords has devised these really handy tips for winter driving including how to prepare before you set off, how you should react to different winter driving conditions and 5 ways to get your car ready for the winter. We even introduce you to our handy lookup guide to find the right snow chains for your car.
Winter Driving Tips for Before You Leave
With weather in the UK being so unpredictable it can be easy to get caught in a snowstorm or severe rain during the winter months. The first key to winter driving safety is that unless your journey is absolutely necessary, keep off the road and stay at home.
If you must drive, make sure you are fully prepared before you leave:
- Check the local and national weather forecasts before you set off.
- Listen to local and national radio and listen for travel updates or check your sat nav for travel information
- Tell someone at your destination what time you expect to arrive
- Make sure you have a winter weather survival kit with you to include as many of the items below as possible:
- Warm clothes and a hi vis vest
- Travel rug
- Food
- Boots
- Torch
- A snow shovel
- Sat nav or a Map
- Car First Aid Kit
- Emergency Warning Triangle
- Phone Charger
- Tow Rope
- Petrol Can
- Spare Bulb Kit
- Jump Leads
- Tyre Inflator
- Tool Kit,
- Clear your windows and mirrors of ice or snow before you set off using ice scrapers and de-icer.
How to Drive in Winter
You'll come up against so many different types of weather conditions during winter that you need to be prepared. Here are Halfords top tips for winter driving to help you cope with all conditions:
- Winter sun glare - make sure you windscreen is clean, your screenwash is topped up, your sun visors work and you have sunglasses handy.
- Fog - in foggy conditions drive slowly and used dipped headlights.
- Ice - take it steady and avoid sharp breaking.
- Rain - slow down and double the distance between you and the car in front.
- Snow - drive conservatively and watch out for compacted snow.
5 Ways to Prepare Your Car for the Winter Months
Its all very well making sure you are ready to tackle winter driving safety, but if you don't have a roadworthy car you'll find it difficult to drive in winter weather. You need to check the following 5 things and if you don't feel confident, ask your local garage or nearest Halfords Autocentre to do it for you.
- Alternator and Car Battery
Increased use of lights, heaters and windscreen wipers puts high demands on the car alternator, so check it. Check the car battery too. - Top Up Your Antifreeze
Top up your antifreeze as it's far cheaper than a cracked engine block or burst radiator. Just be aware that most modern cars use long-life antifreeze, which should never be mixed with other types. - The Visibility Levels
You should always make sure your windscreen is clean inside and out. Clean off your number plates too as illegible plates can result in a fine.
Replace your windscreen wiper blades if they are worn and remember to switch the wipers off when you get out of the car; if they freeze to the screen you can damage them or the wiper motor when you turn the car back on. Make sure you top up you windscreen washer fluid regularly as well. - Check Your Bulbs
Replace any blown car bulbs as reduced visibility can be a winter driving safety hazard for you and other drivers. In foggy conditions you may want to use rear or front fog lights - just remember to switch them off when the fog disperses as they can dazzle other motorists. - Check Your Tyres
1.6mm is the legal limit for tread depth, but you should at least make sure the tread depth is 3mm for winter driving safety. Make sure they are inflated to the recommended pressure too.
For extra safety you should seriously consider changing to winter or all season tyres that give your car better grip in cold and wet conditions. Another alternative is snow chains, which offer you increased traction on the roads too. Head to our snow chains page and we offer you a handy lookup tool; all you have to do is enter your car registration number and away you go!
