Five Tips for Driving in Icy Conditions

As the weather turns from driving rain to cold and icy, we’ve put together five tips to help you stay safe when driving in often treacherous snowy or icy conditions.

1. Keep your windscreen and all other car windows clear, and free from frost. Windows that are covered in snow or frost can be dangerous, as you can’t see where you’re going, and you may also find yourself on the receiving end of a large fine! You’ll probably need to leave the house ten minutes earlier to ensure that you have time.

2. Drive in a higher gear – pull away in second if possible, to avoid skidding, and ease your foot off the clutch gently to prevent your wheels from spinning.

3. Ensure that you use your brakes and accelerator as smoothly and slow as possible, to prevent stalling or skidding.

4. If your vehicle does start to skid, press the clutch and steer in the direction of the skid, until the vehicle begins to straighten. At this point, resume steering along the road as normal, without braking, as braking can cause your wheels to lock and you may skid further.

5. Your stopping distance will increase dramatically in icy conditions, so ensure that you stay well back from the car in front – leave up to ten times more space between your vehicle and the car in front than you would in normal driving conditions.

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