We are entering the time of year where we wake up to the windows of our cars covered in ice and snow and the roads equally icy and snowy. This can make driving more treacherous and there are some key things that you should take into consideration when driving during the winter.
Planning your journey is key during the winter as you may find that some of the roads that you normally use can become blocked if they are not key roads that are gritted, equally if your place of work doesn’t routinely get their car park gritted it would be worth them contacting Car Park Gritting Gloucester company http://www.contract-gritting.co.uk Allowing yourself more time of your journey allows you time to re-route should you need to and also to de-ice your car or remove any snow that has settled overnight. It is against the law to drive your car whilst it has snow on it. Before you set off on your journey you should also check the tread on your tyres is adequate enough to drive in difficult conditions as your tyres will find it harder to grip onto the roads that are covered in ice and snow.
How should you drive during these winter conditions?
If you find yourself driving on roads that have been coated in snow overnight where possible you should try not to drive in the tyre tracks of previous vehicles. This is because this compacted snow will be icier than the other areas of the road. When you first set off you should gently and slowly apply the accelerator and move off in second gear to help reduce the risk of wheel slip. Your stopping distance will also be compromised due to the snowy/icy conditions, so it is important that you increase the space between yourself and the car in front of you. Equally when you reach a bend you should brake before you start to turn and if the car begins to sip you should keep the steering-wheel turned in the direction that you wish to move in.
Making sure that you take all necessary items with you should you find yourself stuck in the snow is a great idea at this time of year. In your car you should have a war coat, walking shoe or wellies, hat, gloves and scarf, a blanket, torch and where possible some snacks and a flask of hot water along with a small shovel.
