Driving in Ice

With the threat of snowy and icy conditions looming ever nearer at this time of year, it is good to ensure maximum safety for both yourself and your vehicle to minimise the risk of an accident or of breaking down and being rendered helpless in these harsh conditions.

Below are Britannia’s Top Tips for Driving in Ice:

– Give yourself time to prepare. Leave the house a substantial amount earlier to allow more time for your journey, as well as time to prepare your car if it needs de-icing or any other pre-journey maintenance.

– Ensure that all of your windows are fully clear. We’ve all seen the joker driving around with just a small gap in the ice on his windscreen, entirely oblivious to the majority of the traffic around him. Give yourself maximum visibility to reduce the risk of an accident.

– If your lock is frozen, never breathe on it, as the moisture is likely to condense and freeze in sub-zero temperatures, rendering your lock useless. Instead use a cigarette lighter to warm your key, this should do the trick.

– Plan your journey. If the route you would normally use is likely to be dangerous with heavy snow and ice, try to avoid this way and plan an alternative route, using more main roads that are much more likely to have been cleared of snow and gritted, even if this way takes longer, safety has to come first.

– Finally, carry a safety kit in the boot of your car. In the event of breaking down, you will be thoroughly glad you planned ahead this far. Keep an old phone with fully battery in this kit, as well as the necessary scraper and can of de-icer, torch, first-aid kit, change of clothing, blankets, jump leads, tow rope, bottle of water, and any other essentials that will come in handy in the event of an unexpected break-down far from help.

Using these tips should keep you much safer and disrupt your day-to-day schedule as little as possible this winter.

Safe driving from Britannia!

Have we missed any essential tips for driving in winter? Let us know in the comments section below!