Winter Driving Tips

• Key tips for preparation
• Keep an eye on your fuel
• Behind the wheel

Quite rightly, when the temperatures drop, driving associations and motoring services throughout Europe are quick to raise awareness of best practice principles when driving in winter conditions. So, what do they recommend?

Among the many pieces of sound advice are several key areas which will help you to stay out of trouble, or are useful to apply, should you find yourself unable to continue on your journey.

If you know that cold weather is likely, a windscreen cover is a worthwhile investment, and if you have a sloping driveway and snow is on the way, it might be advisable to park on the road outside, providing it is legal and safe to do so, rather than risk having to drive up or come down your driveway to get out onto the road.

If you have an electric car you can probably pre-set your car to bring the heating on to clear your windscreen and windows (and warm your car!) before you actually need to get in and use it. 

Other practical measures highlighted by UK motoring organisation the RAC, for example, include ensuring that the fluid levels in your car are all topped up before venturing out in the cold.

 

Key tips for preparation

This means that in addition to the required amount of oil, brake fluid and coolant (these can usually be checked by making sure the fluid is between the upper and lower markings seen through the respective translucent reservoirs, or for the oil, by checking the dipstick), but also that you have plenty of windscreen washer fluid.

In addition, when the weather is close to or below freezing, this fluid must be used in its concentrated form, to ensure it doesn’t freeze in the bottle or along the tubes, and subsequently fail to provide you with any screen washing benefits.

Other important things to check are the condition of your wiper blades, which even if they look okay, should generally be replaced annually, and the tread level and pressure of your tyres. It’s worth pointing out that tyre pressures can vary considerably with the ambient temperature, so make sure they are correct by checking them weekly.

Lights are another important area, not just in the winter, but throughout the year, but with many more hours of darkness over the winter, these are especially vital for both your visibility, and so that other road users can also see you!

 

Keep an eye on your fuel

For those who tend to leave filling up with fuel until the gauge says the tank is almost empty, winter is a good time to change this mindset and ensure it is always close to, or more than, half full, in case you become marooned and need to run the engine to keep warm inside, for example.
Focusing more on driving in the winter, the AA, another UK agency, is reminding drivers to remember that when there’s snow or ice on the road surface, stopping distances can be 10 times further than when its dry, which means the speed you drive and how gentle you are on the controls are even more important than ever. So, it’s wise to allow extra time for winter journeys and, if you can, use routes that are more likely to be cleared and gritted, to reduce the risk of getting stuck.
It will also take longer to get going as you’ll likely have to de-ice the windows on your car before setting off, so give yourself plenty of time and clear the windows properly, using a dedicated ice scrapper and de-icing spray rather than a credit card or similar unsuitable device. This is not only an important safety issue, but also a potential driving offence if the authorities believe that you are driving with obviously limited visibility.
If your car has air conditioning, remember to switch it on as it will greatly increase the speed in which you can clear the condensation inside the cabin, because the system also dries the air that is being circulated.

 

Behind the wheel

When driving in the snow, try to pull away in second gear, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid too much wheel spin. If driving up hill, leave plenty of room between other cars or wait until it’s clear, so you don’t have to stop part way up. Keep a constant speed and try to avoid having to change gear. When driving down a hill, slow down beforehand, use a low gear and try to avoid braking and again, leave as much room as you can between you and the car in front.
Finally, if you drive an automatic, check your vehicle’s handbook, as some have a winter mode, or recommended gear selection, for slippery conditions.