Tips For Handling Your Vehicle In Extreme Conditions

Our Top Tips For Challenging Driving Conditions

Ice

Icy roads can be difficult to navigate safely. What’s worse is that you can’t always see ice on the roads until you’re on it, which can be tense! For these reasons, driving with ice in mind on cold days is the best way to minimise the risks of finding yourself in a sticky situation.

On icy terrain, it’s advisable to drive slowly and allow for greater stopping distances. Also, be mindful of certain areas of the road that may be more susceptible to icy spots. For example, bridges and overpasses tend to be the first stretches of road to ice over, due to their elevated positions. Similarly, roads overshadowed by trees or buildings also tend to be icier than those that are exposed to the winter sun.

While remaining vigilant and sensitive to icy conditions is key, you might find you still skid on the ice. If this happens, avoid hard braking. Instead, stay calm and steer into the skid, keeping your hands firmly on the steering wheel. Doing so will help you to stay in control of your vehicle and avoid spinning out or crashing.

Snow

Snowy conditions are most common in January and February, when temperatures plummet and rains recede. When it comes to driving in snow, reduced visibility and traction form the main risk.

To navigate snow effectively, make sure you remove as much snow as possible from your vehicle before you head off. Most importantly, remove snow from the roof as if you don’t, you run the risk off any remaining chunks being shunted onto your windscreen if you brake sharply.

When pulling off on snow, be sure to accelerate gently and, as soon as you, shift to a higher gear for better traction. It goes without saying that, after snowfall, roads are much slippier – even if they have been gritted. Therefore, avoid moving too fast and keep your hands on the wheel at all times. Using traction aids or installing winter tyres can also help to improve traction in snowy conditions.

If there’s a risk that your vehicle might get snowed in, it’s best to be prepared. You’ll need to have something to hand to help you clear the snow from your wheels (such as a snow shovel) and gloves to keep your hands warm as you get to work!

Fog

The main issue when it comes to fog is reduced visibility. By law, if visibility is less than 100 metres, headlights must be used. Therefore, in preparation for foggy conditions you should ensure that your fog lights, headlights, brake lights, and indicator lights are all in working order for maximum visibility.

When you’re on the road, be sure to leave a sufficient amount of space between you and other vehicles. Furthermore, if you are finding it hard to see incoming traffic while at a junction, make use of all your senses by winding down your windows and listening out for oncoming traffic to assist you in manoeuvring.

Floods

Flooding is a common occurrence, particularly after heavy rains. Navigating flood waters is all about staying as safe as possible, so if you can avoid driving through water it’s best to do so.

If you find yourself at a point where you might need to drive through flood waters, don’t jump in with both feet. First of all, try to work out how deep the water is. You can do this with a stick if the water is static. If it seems to be shallow and calm enough to drive through, then move slowly at first before building up momentum. As you come out of the other side of the flood water, ease off the accelerator. And, of course, be mindful of your vehicle’s maximum wading depth to avoid a sticky situation!