Winter driving can be a challenging time for motorists and even confident drivers will find themselves feeling apprehensive behind the wheel when there is snow and ice. The low visibility and slippery conditions make this an often dangerous time of the year to drive, so what can you do to ensure that you are driving safely during the winter months?
Make Sure Car is Equipped
First, you want to ensure that the car that you are driving is equipped with features that can make driving both easier and safer. The best makes have been accessorizing their cars with technologies that can make driving in winter easier for quite some time now. If you don’t feel safe with your car anymore and you want to upgrade your vehicle, then you can find used cars from the leading manufacturers, like Audi, fully equipped to drive safely in cold weather conditions.
Inspect Your Car’s Condition
One of the most important things to check is your tires. Make sure they have enough tread and that they’re inflated properly. You may also want to consider getting winter tires, which are designed for better traction in snow and ice. You may conduct research to find out more about the best winter tires. You may, for instance, look at a tire review for the Bridgestone brand to see a selection of tires, such as grand touring all-season tires and winter tires. Another thing to check is your battery. Cold weather can be tough on batteries, so it’s a good idea to have it tested and, if necessary, replaced. By taking a few simple precautions, you can help ensure that you’ll be safe on the road all winter long.
Know Your Car
It is also important that you know your car so that you can manage during winter. Often, cars have certain quirks that you need to familiarize yourself with to keep the car working properly such as jiggling the key in the ignition. You also need to know how to combat some of the challenges that occur in winter, such as being able to demist your windscreen quickly.
Allow More Time for Journeys
You do not want to feel rushed when driving in winter, especially if the conditions are slippery. This is why you should always allow yourself more time to complete your journey, which will reduce stress and allow you to take your time to reach your destination.
Keep a Safe Braking Distance
You must also be aware that braking distances change in winter. In wet weather, stopping distances are double compared to dry roads so you need to be wary of this while driving in the rain and always give yourself plenty of distance between yourself and the car in front.
Keep a Kit in Your Car
You should also have a kit in your car with items that could be useful when driving in winter. This will include items such as:
- De-icer
- Shovel
- Blankets
- High vis jacket
- Flashlight
- Jump leads
- Water and snacks
Keep Your Phone Charged
You should also ensure that your phone has plenty of charge before setting off and keep a phone charger in the car just in case. This will allow you to contact someone if you break down, have an accident or get lost. Winter can be a tough period for motorists and driving can be dangerous, so you always want to make sure that you are able to contact others.
The advice in this article should prove to be useful and hopefully will help you to feel more confident behind the wheel this winter. Winter can be a dangerous time of the year to drive so motorists should always take extra care and know how to drive safely during this time.