It’s snow laughing matter: driving and riding tips from IAM RoadSmart

With temperatures at freezing and snowy conditions here now, Richard Gladman, head of driving and riding standards at IAM RoadSmart, is on hand with some useful tips on how you can ensure you and your vehicle are safe on the road:

• Make sure you have cleared your windows, side mirrors and lights before starting your journey and use the heater settings to remove mist and condensation. Avoid using hot water to pour over your windscreen as it’s likely that it will freeze up again. Most modern locks have plastic components so never apply direct heat to a door lock. 

• Keep an eye on your tyres. The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm – but for safe travel, you should not let the depth go below 3mm. Whatever you do, avoid travelling with worn tyres at all costs as this will increase the likelihood of your car skidding. If you can afford them, winter tyres do offer a real grip advantage.
  
  
• If you’re driving a manual vehicle, avoid using high revs and set off gently in second gear. This will improve control and reduce the risk of your wheels spinning. If you’re driving an automatic vehicle, select the ‘winter’ mode (if there is one), which will automatically lockout first gear and reduce the risk of wheel spin – if unsure, refer to your handbook for more advice.

• If your car loses grip you should take your foot off the accelerator and point the front wheels in the direction you want them to go. All steering and braking inputs must be as gentle as possible in icy conditions. Front-wheel-drive vehicles are generally better in icy conditions, but if your car is a rear-wheel-drive always take it extra slow and steady when changing direction.

• Increase the distance between you and the vehicle in front, especially in slippery conditions. The Highway Code suggests double the distance in the wet and up to 10 times in snow and ice. The same applies for when you’re approaching a junction or a sharp bend – drive at a steady speed that allows you to stop well within the available distance.

Richard said: “In very bad conditions avoid driving unless essential. Even when frost thaws, ice will stay around areas that are often shaded or near bridges that are exposed to wind-chill. Consider how you drive through these micro-climates and be prepared to slow down if you need to. Remember in extreme conditions minor routes may not have been visited by the council gritting lorry.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:
1. Richard Gladman is IAM RoadSmart's head of driving and riding standards.
2. IAM RoadSmart has a mission to make better drivers and riders in order to improve road safety, inspire confidence and make driving and riding enjoyable. It does this through a range of courses for all road users, from online assessments through to the advanced driving and riding tests. IAM RoadSmart is the trading name of all businesses operated by the UK’s largest road safety charity, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and was formed in April 2016 combining the IAM, IAM Drive & Survive, PDS and IAM Driver Retraining Academy. The organisation has 92,000 members and campaigns on road safety debates on their behalf. At any one time there are over 7,000 drivers and riders actively engaged with IAM RoadSmart’s courses, from members of the public to company drivers, while our Driver Retraining Academy has helped 2,500 drivers to shorten their bans through education and support programmes.

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