Police reminder of winter travel advice 31/12/12
As changeable wintery conditions continue, Northern Constabulary asks people to travel safely.
Before you set off on any journey
Check the weather forecast and road conditions on routes you will be taking.
Ensure that the brakes, tyres, lights, battery, windscreens and wiper blades are in good condition. Incorrectly inflated tyres have less grip on the road surface and increase your stopping distances. Tyres are the only point of contact with the road and as such the condition of your tyres is vitally important. The legal limit for a tyre is 1.6mm but the more depth you have the more efficiently they will perform.
Ensure you fully clear away any frost, snow or ice from all of the windows and windscreens. Check your lights oil and washer fluid levels, adding winter screen wash to your washer bottle to stop the water from freezing.
Carry an emergency kit with you, ice scraper, torch and batteries, warm clothing, blanket, boots, first aid kit, battery jump leads, a snow shovel, a warm drink in flask, sunglasses – for low sun, carry a map in case of unplanned diversions and carry a fully charged mobile phone.
Remember it is dangerous and unlawful to use a hand held mobile phone or device while driving.
During your Journey
Be aware of changing road and weather conditions, you need to reduce speed in bad weather, increase your stopping distance, avoid sudden acceleration and braking, use dipped headlights in poor conditions in daylight, do not pass closed snow gates, listen to radio bulletins and observe information sign messages.
Watch out for changes in road elevation or exposure, where roads pass over or under a bridge, shade on the road surface caused by things like trees at the side of road, bends in the road and less used roads all should be cause for more careful driving.
When driving through Ice and snow
Your stopping distance is increased 10 times when driving through ice and snow.
Select second gear to pull away, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheel spin.
Driving in the rain
Maintain a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front.
If your vehicle loses grip or "aquaplanes” on the surface water take your foot off
the accelerator to slow down -
In floods
Try to avoid driving through surface water as you may flood the engine; avoid driving through water you do not know the depth of, it may be deeper in parts than it looks like it is. The water at the kerb is generally the deepest.
If you have to drive through floods drive slowly through in first gear and keep the engine revving at a high rate. Avoid stalling the engine, remain in a low gear.
Test the brakes on emerging out of the flooded water, when safe to do so.
Driving in Windy conditions
Be aware when passing along bridges and open stretches of road exposed to strong crosswinds. Take care to leave room for high sided vehicles which may be blown off course suddenly.
Driving in low sun
Dazzle from sun can be dangerous. Keep a pair of sunglasses in the vehicle for use in low sun conditions, keep windscreen clean. Anticipate the sun’s position.
Driving in fog
Drive slowly using dipped headlights so other drivers / road users, can see you. If it is foggy (less than 100 m visibility) then switch your fog lights on, remember to switch then off when conditions improve.
Do not hang onto the tail lights of the vehicle in front of you, this gives you a false sense of security and means you are driving too close. Fog is often patchy so avoid speeding up as visibility improves as it may suddenly worsen.
Darker evening and mornings.
Switch lights on as it starts to get dark.
In urban areas use dipped beam headlights. Use full beam on other roads at night, but dip them when there is someone in front or coming towards you.
Be aware that pedestrians and cyclists are harder to spot in the dark and may not be visible until close; in particular take care driving near to schools and residential areas.
In all conditions, drive at a speed that you are able to stop, safely, in the distance you can see ahead of you.
Cyclists and Pedestrians
Make sure you are seen by wearing bright, reflective clothing and using lights on rear and front of bikes.