Winter Driving

 The past few years of British winter weather have left most motorists dreading the time of  year.  Even the most beautiful snowy scenery can cause the most experienced motorists  out there sleepless nights.  It really doesn’t need to as long as you prepare for the  weather conditions and apply a little common sense. To help you along, we have prepared  the following guide:

 Breakdown items

 Be prepared for the worst. Whether you breakdown in the freezing  cold, pouring rain or thick fog, having the top twelve winter  breakdown items with you will be a big help.

 More than half of UK motorists don’t carry a torch, first aid kit or  blankets with them.* And around one in five don’t have a scraper  and de-icer.

 Make sure you have these in your car at all times:

     Scraper and de-icer
     Shovel
     Blanket
     First aid kit
     Boots
     Reflective clothing – jackets, armbands and stickers
     Jump leads
     Food and a warm flask of water
     Mobile phone and breakdown firm contact details
     Tow rope
     Sunglasses
     Torch

 The above breakdown items can be purchased singularly or as kits from our Amazon eStore  by clicking


 Car checks

 Now is a great time to get your vehicle serviced (we recommend Brook  Street Garage - click for details) – seek out any problems
 before they become serious and cause a breakdown.
 Carry out a quick set of checks every few days.

 Tyres
 Check tyres are inflated to their recommended pressure, as found in your vehicle handbook.  A minimum of 3mm tread depth will provide better grip in snowy conditions – but more is  better. (Don’t forget the spare). Remember a tread of 1.6mm is the legal minimum!

 Anti-freeze and washer levels
 Keep a 50/50 mixture of anti-freeze and water between the minimum and maximum marks of  your coolant tank. If it freezes, the liquid will expand and could cause serious engine  damage.
 Regularly check the oil, brake fluid and windscreen washer levels.

 Windows
 Clean ALL your windows by scraping off snow and ice and switching the demister to its  highest setting.

 Lights, mirrors, plates and wipers
 Lights and mirrors can get dirty with spray and grit, so clean them regularly. Examine wiper  blades and replace if worn. Check lights are working and carry spare bulbs.
 The DVLA states number plates must be displayed and easy to read, so make sure they’re  fully clear from snow and road grime.

 Fuel
 Maintain a steady to high amount of fuel in the tank – you never know what kind of situation  you’ll get stuck in.


 Avoid a Flat Battery

 The most common reason for a vehicle not starting in the winter
 season is a dead battery – especially after the weekend, if the car  hasn’t been driven.**
 If you leave your car for long amounts of time, the battery could fail.

 Plan your Journey

 Before setting out on a journey during winter weather conditions
 make the following checks:

    Is the journey absolutely necessary?

    Check the local and national weather forecasts.

    Obtain travel information and road conditions from local and national     radio.

    Ensure that the vehicle has a full fuel tank

    Give an estimated time of arrival at your proposed destination

    Take the appropriate equipment with you – see our Breakdown Kit
    above

    Finally ask yourself again if the journey is necessary.

 Once on your Way

 If you get into trouble, try not to abandon your vehicle, stay with it  until help arrives. Abandoning your vehicle can prevent the roads from  being cleared of ice and snow and emergency vehicles from getting
 through as they cause an immovable obstruction.
 If you are forced to leave your vehicle, make yourself visible by wearing a  fluorescent/reflective tabard/jacket.

 Driving through rain

 Heavy rain will reduce visibility, particularly from vehicle spray.  Always use your dipped headlights and reduce speed. At night, wet  conditions worsen the glare from headlights so again, slow down.

    Stopping distances double in the wet – so it’ll take 46m of     braking at 30mph before your car will stop

    Aquaplaning is where your car makes contact with a layer of
    water too fast, causing the tyres to brush against the surface of water rather than the     road.

    Take care when driving through puddles or heavy rain. If your vehicle loses grip or     aquaplanes, don’t brake hard or steer suddenly. Instead, let the car coast to reduce     speed and regain grip.

    Avoid driving through flooded roads, as this can ruin your engine. If you have to, use first     gear. Move at a slow pace and keep your revs high to avoid stalling the engine.

    Test your brakes after passing through water. If the brake pedal feels spongy or slack,     pull over - your car may not be safe to continue until weather conditions improve.

    Don’t splash pedestrians by driving through large puddles. You could be fined up to £2,500     for inconsiderate driving.

 Driving through snow & ice

 Falling snow reduces visibility so always switch on your dipped  headlights. Lack of adhesion can occur even on treated roads so drive  slowly in the highest gear possible, manoeuvre gently and avoid harsh  braking. Please have a look at our videos on ABS braking and steering  and traction control

 It is often difficult to see ice on the road. If you suspect that the road surface is covered in  ice, it is essential to do everything more carefully than normal. Slow down, steer gently and  avoid harsh braking.

     Check for signs of ice before driving – most cars have ice warning lights and temperature      gauges – anything below three degrees centigrade means ice is likely.

     If your tyres are very quiet, this could be a sign you’re driving on ice, so take great care      and slow down.

     Brake sufficiently before turning and leave a large gap between you and the car in front.

     Look out for salt spreaders and snow ploughs. Both flash amber beacons and will drive      less than 40mph. Don’t overtake these vehicles unless it’s safe to do so and remember      the grit could chip your car’s paintwork or windscreen.


 Driving in fog

 If visibility is less than 100 metres, switch your fog lights on. Switch  them off once conditions improve so you don’t dazzle other drivers, as  it is against the law to use fog lights if visibility is good.

    Switch on your dipped headlights

    Use your windscreen wipers and screen demisters to prevent glass from steaming up

    Listen out for approaching traffic at junctions

    Drive slowly and be prepared to slow down further - thick fog can suddenly appear in     patches.

    Do not hang on to the tail lights of the vehicle in front as it can give a false sense of     security. When you slow down, use your brakes so that your brake lights warn drivers     behind you.

    When the word ‘FOG’ is shown on a roadside signal but the road appears to be clear, be     prepared for a bank of fog ahead. Fog can drift rapidly and is often patchy.

 Driving in Hail

 Hail can occur unexpectedly; slow down and use dipped headlights.  After a hailstorm the road surface will be slippery so drive carefully.

Further information on winter driving can also be found

* Kia Motors UK research survey 2007.
** RAC breakdown statistics 2007.