Todays date is November 25th, 2016, a month until Christmas. So far this autumn, there has been one named storm, Angus, which bought some torrential rain and flooding in some areas, but other than that, the weather has been fairly tame. We have had some rain, some wind and the odd frosty morning, but we all know that this will almost certainly deteriorate at this time of year, with the winter approaching fast.
This series of posts will look at driving in poor weather and how to keep safe.
We will look at the following subjects:
- Your vehicle.
- Weather and vision.
- Wet roads.
- Crosswinds.
- Fog.
- Snow and ice.
- Skidding.
OK, so before you can venture out for a drive, into poor winter weather, you obviously need a car, so we'll start this series with:
Your Vehicle.
Whatever the time of year, your car should be kept in good condition and checked regularly and serviced when needed. Don't skimp on these requirements, as you probably won't save any money overall and you are more likely to avoid costly, expensive and dangerous breakdowns.
The two crucial areas to be confident with are your tyres and brakes in poor weather.
Tyres.
Tyre condition and pressure should be regularly checked.
Make sure they have a good tread depth, no less than 2mm across the whole tyre surface (1.6mm is the legal minimum.) and check the tyre walls for damage that can often be seen as cuts and bulges.
Check that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure which can be found in your handbook. This can save you money in fuel costs as well.
Don't forget to check the inside tyre walls.
Another important check is for uneven wear on the tread, which can be caused by a mechanical fault such as poor tracking. Get your car checked over and have the fault corrected and then replace the tyre.
Simply replacing the tyre without the repair will mean the new tyre will wear out badly as well.
Try to always be prepared, don't wait for the bad weather to take you by surprise, as then it may be too late, as your safety could depend on a few millimetres of rubber that was missing.
The area of your tyre in contact with the road surface is about the same as the sole of your shoe, so make sure it's up to the job!
Good tyres are vital in snow, ice and rain.
Brakes.
Ensure your brakes are kept in good condition, as stopping takes much longer on wet, slippery roads, even with perfect brakes. Give yourself a chance!
John Lowe Driving offers driving lessons in Gloucester with friendly instructors, so why not call us to get started on:
01452 614226.
We'd love to hear from you.
Best Regards,
John Lowe.
