Driving in bad weather can be quite a scary thing, from ice on the roads to trying to see where the road is due to the heavy rainfall. Here are some tips on how to stay safe when driving in the winter.
Always remember that if the weather is too bad, it isn’t worth the risk. Try public transport or maybe ask to work from home – it’s better to be safe than sorry!
However, if you do have to drive, here are some top tips…
- Make sure your insurance is still valid if you have fit winter tyres! This is one that often catches people out: some insurance is no longer valid with a change of tyres. It is worth checking with your insurance provider before swapping them over.
- Keep a winter emergency kit in your boot or glovebox for emergencies. Keep an ice scraper, torch, high-vis jacket, emergency blanket, water, first aid kit and reflective warning signs. You can read a full list of what to include in a winter breakdown kit from the RAC here.
- Be careful of flooding. Floods can appear quickly and take people by surprise, so be extra careful when driving to look out for flood warning signs and water on the road. Even if you feel you could make it through, it is safer for both you and your car to turn around and find a safer route. If you don’t have a choice, stay in first gear whilst driving through the floor and test breaks straight after emerging from the flood water.
- Don’t drive off before the windows have all fully defrosted. This may be tempting if you are in a rush, however again – better safe than sorry. Be sure to also de-ice windows completely before going on a drive. This might mean waking up a few minutes earlier, but your journey will be made safer.
- Allow extra time for all journeys so that you aren’t tempted to speed.
- Check fuel levels more regularly, the last thing you want is to run out of petrol in the cold!
- Invest in a phone charger for your car. This way, in emergencies, you will have a way of keeping your phone fully charged.
- Using higher gears help to avoid wheel spin, but don’t led your speed creep up.
- If your car gets snowed in, don’t spin the wheels or rev the engine. This will only get you more stuck!
- The sun is generally lower in the sky in the winter, so carry sunglasses in the vehicle at all times to avoid the sun dazzling your vision.
Of course, as with all year round, to make sure your car is safe to drive you should be getting it serviced regularly. To book in with BMWorx, drop us an email to info@bmworx.co.uk
