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Top 5 tips on driving through winter

With Christmas getting ever closer, December, January and February are generally the coldest months of the year. Making sure your vehicle or WAV is roadworthy for the winter months is vital in making sure that you travel safely. Here are McElmeel Mobility's Top 5 Tips on winter driving.  

1.Accelerate and decelerate slowly


Driving in snow can affect your stopping distance up to 10 times, so making sure that your driving speed is safe and controllable is essential. Both accelerating and braking quickly can cause the vehicle to go into a slide in both snowy and wet conditions.

2.Make sure quality window wipers have been fitted

Window wipers in the rain or snow can be the difference between life and death. Having a pair of window wipers which aren’t functioning properly can make your window blurry and difficult to see through. Making sure you have a high-quality set of wipers is crucial and can be done easily at your local garage or car parts retailer.

3.Make sure tires are up to standard

Worn tires can be deadly on wet roads. This is when the grooves aren't deep enough to channel water or snow out from beneath the tread with the result being hydroplaning. Snow traction also decreases as tires wear, making it very dangerous to travel with bald or worn tires around the Christmas period.

4.Watch out for flooding or icy roads

Dips in the road can hide areas of water, especially in the dark. If you’re not sure how deep a puddle is, don’t risk driving through it. When travelling at high speed, your vehicle can hydroplane out of control.

5.Carry an ice scraper or de-icer

The only things you should ever use to de-ice your car is an ice scraper and/or some de-icer liquid. If you have de-icer available, spray it onto the windows and windscreens of your car. When scraping, use firm, broad strokes across all the glass. Remove all the scraped ice and snow, and ensure that the windscreen wipers are not frozen

W
e hope this helped and wish you all the best coming up the Christmas period! Merry Christmas!


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