If driving conditions deteriorate it is always best to put off driving if possible. If you do have to drive, here is our guidance on how to minimise the risk of having an accident.
Be prepared
It is recommended that you leave yourself more time to prepare before setting off in your vehicle in poor conditions. Useful points to consider include:
When it rains
When driving in the rain, stopping distances need to be twice as great as they would be on dry roads. Points to remember:
If the sun shines
We don’t see so much sun in the winter but when we do, it can be low in the sky and can cause a hazard by dazzling drivers. The sun can be low enough to render your sun visor ineffective so ensure you have sunglasses to hand (prescription sunglasses if you need them). Avoid sunglasses that darken in sunlight as they will react too slowly. Keeping the inside and outside of your windscreen clean and free of smears will reduce the effect of glare. If you have stubborn smears on the windscreen, try using dissolved dishwasher powder in water or cream glass cleaner with clean kitchen paper. The final point to remember is to simply reduce your speed and turn on your lights so you can be seen.
In windy weather
When the winter brings high winds, please remember the following:
Driving in fog
We all know to use dipped headlights in foggy conditions. However, fog lights should only be used when visibility is reduced to less than 100 metres. Please remember:
It’s clear that we need to adapt the way we drive when faced with adverse weather. Conditions can change quickly and vary widely over short distances and all these conditions need different driving considerations so no matter what vehicle you drive - you need to be prepared. We often blame bad weather for accidents when usually it is poor preparation and inappropriate driving behaviour that is the real cause.