Winter Road Safety: Top Tips To Stay Safe While Driving In Harsh Conditions | AD

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Driving in the winter can be a particularly scary experience, especially when you have your children in the car and have an extra level of anxiety to keep them out of harm’s way. 

Thankfully, learning some effective winter road safety tips doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might initially imagine! This guide contains some brilliant ideas that you can make the most of to reduce the risks when you hit the open road during harsh weather conditions, helping you to maintain peace of mind during any festive family outing. 

So, what are you waiting for? Read on to discover more! 

Slowly Does It 

Speeding like a crazed person when there’s ice and snow on the ground is an absolute no-no, as this is a sure fire way to put you and your kids in danger while driving during the winter. Slowly does it if conditions are harsh, as you need to have as much time as possible to react if any issues were to occur.

If you make the mistake of trying to drive quickly when the road is slippery, then you’re going to find it much more difficult to bring your car to a stop for whatever reason. You could begin to drift in one direction at speed, or even collide with another car, building or other object due to not being able to stop your vehicle. 

It simply isn’t worth the risk to try and speed to your destination in harsh winter weather conditions, as it won’t be safe for you, your children or anyone else around you on the road or pavement. Keep it slow and steady, and you’ll find it much easier to navigate the perils of winter driving.

Adapt Your Car 

Another brilliant step that you can follow to stay safe while driving in harsh conditions is to adapt your car. The average vehicle isn’t really made for ice and snow, but there are different investments and changes that you can make to ensure your car is better suited to the winter weather! 

First and foremost, you need to make sure that your wiper blades can handle the weight of a heavy snowfall. Then, check that you have at least one spare tyre inside your car in case of emergencies. It’s also a good idea to include some winter tyres or chain link tyre covers that will give you better grip when the ground is covered in black ice or other treacherous conditions that would be hard to navigate safely with normal tyres. Fill up your antifreeze too, as this will help your car to stay healthy and fully functional during the cold weather rather than seizing up. 

Pack An Emergency Preparedness Kit 

Last but by no means least, it’s an excellent idea to pack an emergency preparedness kit in your car, especially if you are driving longer journeys or heading through more rural roads. The risk of getting into difficulty while driving during the winter is constantly present, so you need to make sure that you have all of the right tools and equipment required to stay warm and safe until emergency services can reach you. 

It’s far too easy to veer off the road into a ditch when there’s a covering of snow obscuring your view, but you simply won’t be able to carry on your journey if you don’t have a tow truck on hand to pull you out. So, the only solution would be to stay inside your car and wait – do you have the means to do this for potentially hours until they arrive? You’ll need blankets and coats to keep you and your passengers warm, as your battery could run out and leave you with no heating. You might also need a first aid kit of some kind in case any of your family fall victim to an injury, as cuts and other minor issues are common in winter collisions and could become worse if left untreated quickly. 

Other emergency items can include a device strong enough to break through glass, so that you can escape through a window if necessary. It may also be beneficial to include some torches, as it gets dark very early during the winter months and you may need assistance to reach a nearby town or petrol station to gain help in the event of an issue on the road. 

Figuring out how to stay safe while driving in harsh winter conditions has never been so simple when you can take this handy advice on board.