How to Drive Safely In Winter Conditions

Driving safely and carefully is important at any time of year, but during winter, it's absolutely crucial. When the winter months arrive, they bring with them extreme weather conditions that make driving a challenge for even the most experienced drivers with high-end tyres and wheels. Everyone must take the time to educate themselves about safe winter driving to ensure their safety, protect their wheels, and keep other road users out of danger.

It's not just driving in snow and ice that can be hazardous; heavy rain and fog, high winds, and low winter sunshine can all pose risks to drivers. 2013 statistics from the Department for Transport showed that there were 191 reported accidents during snowy or icy conditions that year, and a massive 1,552 when the roads were wet or flooded, so it's not just freezing conditions where you must take extra care.

At LK Performance, we care about the safety of everyone on the road and offer services such as winter wheel fitting to ensure your tyres and wheels are suitable for the coming conditions. As part of our Winter Driving series, here are our tips for travelling in extreme winter weather conditions.

Driving Safely In Snow & Ice

When the roads are thick with snow or ice (or both), you should only make journeys that are absolutely essential. However, we understand that it's not always that simple, so if you must drive in snowy or icy conditions, you should know how to do so safely, and consider fitting winter tyres. In our tips below, we'll explain how to drive in snow and on ice, including how to stop skidding.

Tips For Driving Safely In Snow & Ice

• If you’re going to be driving a lot this winter, you may wish to have winter tyres and wheels fitted by LK Performance. Our winter tyres improve stopping distances by up to 10% in the rain, and as much as 20% in the snow.
• Before you set off:
  • Plan your route clearly and check the weather forecast to avoid encountering further snowfall or extreme weather on the road.
  • Clear all snow from your vehicle, particularly the windows, wing mirrors, lights and licence plates. Don’t forget the roof, as snow can slide down onto your windows when driving and obscure your view.
  • Thoroughly demist the inside of your windows.
• During your journey, drive carefully even on treated roads and keep an even greater distance back from vehicles in front of you. Stopping distances can be up to 10x greater in snowy or icy conditions than when the roads are dry.
• For safe driving on ice and snow-covered roads, drive at a slow speed in the highest gear possible and use gentle acceleration and braking – never stamp on the brakes as this can cause skidding. A higher gear helps the tyres to grip, particularly when moving your vehicle off on packed ice.
• Drive particularly slowly around bends, which is where you're most likely to lose control.
• If your vehicle does start to skid, steer in the direction of the skid. For example, if you feel the back of your vehicle skidding to the left, steer to the left.
• When driving on untreated roads, be careful when running over compressed snow left by other vehicles as this may be icier than fresh snow.

Driving In Heavy Rain, Floods & Hailstorms

As revealed by the Department for Transport statistics from 2013, wet or flooded roads are the worst culprits for motorway accidents, yet it's likely that many people don't take the same amount of care when driving in wet conditions as they would in the ice and snow. Wet roads can cause aquaplaning (or hydroplaning), where a layer of water builds between the road and a vehicle's tyres, causing the tyres to lose traction and leading to accidents.

In our tips on how to drive in wet conditions below, we'll explain what to do if your care aquaplanes and other essential points for staying safe when driving during rainfall.

Tips For Driving In Rain, Floods & Hail

• Leave twice the usual distance between you and the driver in front, as typical stopping distances are at least doubled in wet conditions. Also, this will help you to avoid the spray from vehicles in front of you that can further obscure your vision.
• If your vehicle aquaplanes, ease off the accelerator and do not brake – instead, you should gradually slow down until the tyres find grip again. You will know that you are aquaplaning if your steering suddenly feels very light when driving through standing water; it usually happens when you are moving too fast for the conditions, so reduce your speed.
• Driving through a flooded road should only be attempted if you know the depth of the water (and it is standing – fast-flowing water can sweep you away), but if you must do so, drive slowly and steadily so as not to create a wave, and keep a safe distance from any vehicles in front. Test your brakes once you have left the water.
• Hailstorms are one of the most dangerous conditions to drive in, for both drivers and their vehicles, so this should be avoided whenever possible. However, if it’s unavoidable, keep your vehicle aligned so that the hail is hitting the front windscreen as this is specially reinforced to withstand pelting objects. If the hailstorm becomes too severe, pull over under shelter for your vehicle (e.g. an underpass) and stay inside.

Driving In Fog & Mist

Fog and mist are not inherently dangerous; what makes them hazardous to drivers is that they severely reduce visibility on the roads. Knowing how to drive in fog and mist will ensure that the roads are safe for you and other road users – here are our tips below.

Tips For Driving In Foggy Conditions

• According to the Highway Code, your front and rear fog lights must be used when visibility is less than 100 metres. To give you an idea, this is about the length of a football pitch.
• Do not use full-beam headlights, as these can dazzle other drivers; use dipped headlights only when driving in mist or thick fog.
• Follow the ‘two-second rule' to ensure you keep a safe distance from the driver in front of you, as poor visibility can make it difficult for you to determine their true distance.
• If you stop at a junction where visibility is particularly poor, open your window to listen for oncoming traffic.

Driving In High Winds

It can be scary to drive in windy weather. High-sided vehicles such as vans and lorries are at the most risk when travelling in winds, but any vehicle can be affected by strong gusts of wind, especially on open roads that are susceptible to crosswinds or sections of roads where there are openings. Below are our tips for driving safely in high winds, which can impact your vehicle's handling and braking.

Tips For Driving In Strong Winds

• High winds can get under a vehicle and make it difficult to control, so drive more slowly and keep a firm grip on the steering wheel in case a sudden gust of wind catches you off-guard, particularly when driving on an exposed stretch of road.
• Take care when overtaking high-sided vehicles a sudden gust of wind could hit. You should also give them even more room than usual, as well as cyclists, motorcyclists and cars towing caravans, which are more vulnerable in high winds.

Driving In Low Winter Sunshine

Sunshine in the wintertime is a welcome break from the gloomy, dark conditions, but as the sun is lower than in summer, and is usually too low to be blocked by your visor, it can dazzle and therefore be dangerous to drivers. Here are some tips for handling the glare of low sunshine and driving safely this winter.

Tips For Driving In Low Winter Sunshine

• Reduce your speed so that you can react appropriately if the glare becomes too severe.
• Keep your windscreens clean and free from smears on both sides to reduce the effects of glare.
• Wear sunglasses to shield your eyes from the strong sunshine when your visor cannot block it.

What Is Defensive Driving?

You may have previously heard about defensive driving courses, on which you can learn advanced driving skills that help to reduce the dangers associated with driving. On a typical defensive driving course, you'll learn how to anticipate and handle a variety of dangerous scenarios that you may encounter when driving, including winter weather conditions and bad drivers, including those that may be drunk.

If you are particularly nervous about driving in the winter, consider a defensive driving course to increase your confidence and competence.

Now you've read our tips for winter driving safety, don't forget to read our articles on getting your car ready for winter and winter car maintenance for a complete guide to winter driving!