The Car Hub

Here in the south of the UK we had our first taste of winter snow yesterday so perhaps it’s a suitable time for some reminders to help make driving safer at this time of year.
Before you even get into your car make sure you have good all round vision, it could invalidate your insurance if there is an accident and all you did before driving off was to clear a bit of the windscreen for you, the driver, to see ahead, you can also get a ticket from the police for committing an offence under such poor driving vision conditions.
The obvious first statement here should be – only take your vehicle on the roads if you have to. In winter it’s a fact 50% of all accidents happen at night and in wet slippery conditions. Lesson to learn here is NOT to tailgate but leave TWICE the normal braking distance for your speed.
Check out all your lights are working properly, if you live alone, to check your brake lights just start up your car and place a brick or stone on your brake pedal while you check your rear and braking lights.
Your tyres are a vital component, while you might have the legal limit of tread on your tyres, 1.6mm,  be aware that your safe braking distance is already affected when you are down to this limit; you might resent having to pay out for tyres sooner than you want to but in winter driving conditions it could be a life saving investment.
The car battery is another item to be maintained correctly, heaven forbid you get involved in a skid and go off the road in a lonely location, keeping your car engine running may be a life saver for you until help arrives.
If your car does need an anti-freeze top up, (most modern cars now have sealed units but check this out in your car handbook) get a garage to do it, topping up can be carried out quickly and cheaply and gets you peace of mind.
OK, you’re out there driving, it’s dark and it’s snowing, you’ll probably find it is easier to see on dipped headlights, having lights on full beam in these conditions can sometimes cause snow dazzle which can disorient you and the next you know is you’ve hit something. Drive slowly within the distance your lights reveal, if a skid occurs turn the steering wheel gently in the direction of the skid, i.e. if the rear end of the car is coming round to the right, turn the steering to the right, do not slam on the brakes, just ease off the accelerator and you’ll have control again.
If it is a case that you have to drive in bad snow conditions then buy a set of snow chains, your car handbook should have a section covering driving with chains, have a read before you go out as you’ll learn there are different limits which apply.
Finally if the worst happens – an accident – follow these simple rules:-
If the accident is serious and involves damage to persons or property then call the police.
If it is a breakdown in bad weather try to get your vehicle to a non obstructive location then call out someone to recover the vehicle for you.
Last but not least is to prepare yourself for your journey, have proper clothing on, keep a blanket in the car, keep a bar of chocolate in the glove compartment, and last but not least again, always keep your tank at least half full so you can keep the engine running to keep warm while awaiting rescue.
Safe driving and Seasons Greetings to ALL.
Bill Williams
www.thecarhub.net