Driving Advice
Winter driving
Every winter, whenever there is a danger that the mercury in the thermometer might drop below zero, everyone from the Weatherman to the local police chief warns us not to travel 'unless absolutely necessary'. As everyone's idea of 'necessary' varies, here are some tips for driving in adverse conditions if you run out of milk or have to dash to a loved one in peril.
As with everything in life, preparation is the key. Your tyres are the most important component of the car if conditions get tricky. You can fit the foot-print of all four tyres of the standard family hatchback onto a sheet of A4 paper so you need to make sure that contact is effective. While the legal minimum is 1.6mm of tread, it is always sensible not to let it get that low and use 2mm as a more realistic minimum.
If you are heading out on a long trip, consider taking a flask with a hot drink just in case, while an in-car mobile phone charger could prove to be a lifeline if technology gives up on you at a vital moment.
Snow is perhaps the biggest hazard you will face this winter. If you do need to drive in the white stuff, try to keep revs to a minimum and avoid sharp movements, either with the pedals or steering wheel. Set off in a higher gear than you might normally use, even if you have a car with traction control as the key to keeping things in a straight line is to be as smooth as Barry White!
If you are heading to the slopes in Europe this year, make sure you have all the equipment required by law in the country you are driving to. For example, you may be refused access to the roads leading up to the Ski Resorts in some places unless you have snow chains fitted.
If you really want to develop your winter driving skills, there are many companies who now offer skid-pan training, where a number of real-life spins can be simulated.
A typical course is aimed at people of all driving abilities to help them better understand their vehicle capabilities so that they can respond more effectively to a potential emergency situation. Tuition generally begins with expert instruction in a theory session, providing participants with the opportunity to learn more about their vehicles and to recognise any possible defects.
They will also gain an understanding of vehicle stability systems and driver aids, such as Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS), Traction Control, and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and how these work to supplement the driver's own skills.
For the practical part of the course, participants will take their vehicles on to the Wet Grip area, where instructors will advise on how to cope with changing levels of grip on different surfaces, as well as the impact of wet and winter driving conditions. The Wet Grip area's hydraulic kick-plate will force vehicles into a sudden skid, testing the driver's reactions to the full, while the water walls create a random series of obstacles and chicanes to test a driver's emergency avoidance skills at various speeds.
With prices starting at around the £100 mark, it may be the perfect gift for the person who has everything, and you never know, may well save their life one day!
