Winter Driving Tips
At Argus Car Hire, your safety is always our priority. As the seasons change, so too do road conditions. Fog, floods and black ice…the winter months trigger a number of potential dangers which can make driving difficult and hazardous. The following is a guide to precautions that should be heeded when venturing out on the open road this winter.
Golden Rules for Winter Driving:
- Slow down
- Set aside extra time to complete the journey
- Keep your distance
Driving in Foggy Conditions:
- Use dipped headlights
- Reduce your speed
- Drive a safe distance from the car in front of you. A good way to gauge distance is if the tail-lights of the car in front of you are visible, you’re too close.
- Allow extra time for your journey to avoid rushing in poor visibility.
Driving Through a Flood:
- Keep engine revs high and speed low
- If travelling through the flood spot, go slow enough to avoid drowning the electrics or loosing grip.
- If you’ve passed through deep water, check your brakes to make sure that no damage has occurred.
How to Avoid a Skid:
Look out for potential dangers such as wet leaves, shady areas, black ice and frost, especially on bridges. Black ice most commonly occurs in very cold conditions on wet roads. Special care is advised at night on exposed bends, underneath trees and bridges where light is poor and on higher ground.
- Reduce speed as soon as you see a potential skid spot.
- Never brake quickly. If you have made the mistake of braking too quick, release them immediately, then reapply again quickly but gently.
- Reduce acceleration, but don’t take your foot completely off the accelerator.
- Use the highest gears possible under the conditions. As you gently brake, move down in your gears until you come to a gradual halt.
Winter Car Care:
Never use boiling water to clear a frozen windscreen-it can damage the glass. Always keep a can of de-icer handy.
Watch out for pedestrians and cyclists! Poor visibility puts vulnerable road users at even greater risk.
Written by mcleare
