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Half of all bad weather crashes happen in winter. In
November, December, January and February, we expect the weather to
be bad, and we can change the way we drive to compensate. So why
are there still so many crashes still blamed on the
weather?
The fact is that we don't change the way we drive as much as we
should. The main cause of crashes in winter is not poor weather,
but poor driving.
Snow and ice
A third of all crashes happen on roads that are wet or
frozen.
Frost, ice or snow on the road will reduce the grip of tyres.
This means you are much more likely to skid, and it can take up to
10 times further to stop than on a dry road.
If the road is wet, stopping distance doubles immediately. The
faster you go, the longer it takes to stop. So the way to prevent
skidding and reduce stopping distances is to slow down. Drive with
the conditions in mind and brake gently in plenty of time.
How can I avoid skidding?
Skids are caused by harsh handling of the vehicle; harsh
braking, acceleration or steering. But their root cause is nearly
always speed. So the best way to avoid getting into a skid is by
slowing down.
If you do skid, the basic advice is to take your feet off all of
the pedals, until the wheels grip once more. If you slam the brakes
on, you will lock up the wheels and lose control of the
vehicle.
Gentle braking will lessen the possibility of the wheels
locking. If they do start to lock then the technique called cadence
braking, when the brake pedal is pumped on and off, helps to keep
wheel lock to a minimum. This is the principle that ABS (Antilock
Braking System), fitted to some cars, works on. So if you have ABS,
you will not need to pump your brake pedal.
How can I tell whether roads are icy or not?
We keep local radio stations and TV networks up to date about
road conditions and tell them when we are planning to salt the main
roads.
Conditions will vary across the county. Some areas are more
likely to freeze than others, for example, the Weald of Kent. If
there is a white frost on grass and cars, then you may find icy
patches on the roads.
Winter sun
The low sun in winter is a big problem for drivers. Unlike in
summer, when the sun is higher, the winter sun can shine directly
into a driver's eyes.
The problem is even worse when the road surface is wet or
frozen; the sun shines directly into your eyes, and reflects up
from the road surface.
The only way to truly reduce the risk is to reduce your
speed.
Drive to the conditions: reduce your speed
At 30mph, in perfect weather, it will take you at least 23
metres (75 feet) to stop in an emergency. When wet, this may become
46 metres, and on ice nearly 230 metres.
In residential areas, no matter what the weather, your speed is
crucial. When there are plenty of road hazards: pedestrians,
children, bicycles, parked cars, junctions, do you really need to
be driving exactly on the speed limit?
Don't forget: speed limits tell you the maximum speed at which
you can ever travel on that road. They are not targets to
reach.
A new campaign: Twenty is Plenty aims to reduce road crashes and
injuries to drivers and pedestrians by encouraging drivers to keep
to 20mph in residential areas.
Why drive at 20mph?
At 20mph, your stopping distance will be at least 12 metres
(dry), 24 metres (wet) or 120 metres (ice). That's still a long
way, but much less than at 30mph.
But most importantly, pedestrians hit at 20mph have a 90% chance
of surviving. At 35mph, their chances are 50/50. Heads they
survive, tails they die.
What else can I do to make winter driving safer?
Before winter arrives, make sure your vehicle is serviced and
properly maintained. You should:
- check tyres have the correct tread, are in good condition and
inflated correctly
- add antifreeze to radiators
- make sure windscreen wipers and washers are working
properly
- make sure windscreen washer bottles are full and contain
antifreeze
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