Page 362 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive
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Health, Safety & Environmental Bulletin No 159
S Martin – 21 October 2009
Driving In The Winter Months
As the nights draw in and the mornings get darker it can only mean one thing, winter is upon us. And
with winter comes undesirable weather conditions.
Driving in high winds, heavy rain, sleet or snow brings heightened dangers on the road; but possibly
more dangerous are the other road users who don’t acknowledge the changing conditions and take to
the roads as normal.
10 TIPS FOR DRIVING IN THE WINTER MONTHS:
1. Check your tyre pressure – flat tyres reduce your grip which can be lethal in wet conditions.
2. Check your tyre tread depth – a 20p coin can be a useful tread guide. If you can see the outer
band of the coin when you put it in a groove, your tread depth may be illegal. Tyres should also
be checked for any cuts or bulges.
3. Don’t speed – breaking the speed limit is illegal and dangerous all of the time, but add bad
weather to the mix and you have a potentially deadly cocktail!
4. Keep well back – in rain, snow or ice, stopping distances will increase dramatically, so slow
down and keep well back from the vehicle in front.
5. Use the appropriate gear – in wet or icy conditions, accelerate slowly and use a high gear to
get more traction.
6. Don’t overtake the gritter or snow plough – they may be moving slowly but they are there to
make your journey safer. The road ahead of a gritter or snow plough is likely to be worse than
the road behind it. Keep back!
7. Check the fluids – ensure that windscreen wash is topped up with fluid and antifreeze if
necessary. Also, be sure your wiper blades are clean.
8. Lights, lights, lights – poor weather conditions make it more difficult to see the road and other
drivers. Switch on your lights to see, and be seen.
9. Don’t just rely on sat-navs – your sat-nav may show a gentle bend in the road, but hazards like
a bad camber, crest, oncoming vehicle or narrowing road won’t be shown on a sat-nav screen.
Slow down and take care.
