Well, we have now had our first really cold snap. The last week brought ice, frosted windows and even a decent quilt of snow across the country. This in turn made for some rather dreadful driving conditions. Winter driving – for inexperienced road users in particular – can bring a whole new set of challenges that said drivers may not have encountered before. Here’s what you could do wrong when driving in wintry, slippery conditions:
Lack of good observation
Wintry weather can bring low sun, glare and other visibility issues. Look more, pay more attention and in turn you’ll be safer.
Lack of measured pedal use
If your ABS/traction control is kicking in all the time, then you aren’t driving with enough care. There will be some unavoidable situations but remember even with modern technological aids, speed can still overwhelm the car. Think cadenced braking rather than mashing the accelerator then slamming the brakes.
Excess speed
We appreciate that everyone has places to be, even with skitey bits all over the road. That being said, stopping distances can be ten times what they would be in good weather. This should be planned for and speed and follow distance should be adjusted accordingly.
Driving on worn tyres
This is a pet hate of us here at Car Articles. It takes a matter of minutes to make sure that all four tyres are in a reasonable condition and have enough tread depth to see you through the Winter.
Pulling away with a pillar box windscreen
You must make sure that you don’t drive off with a pillar box view – clear that snow/frost off your windscreen! What you’re doing there is just reducing the amount of visibility that you have, which will in turn prevent you from making good observations to carry out a safe journey.
So there we are – some bad habits that we’re sure as you are on Car Articles you would never do. Stay safe when driving in these treacherous conditions!
Andrew says
December 6, 2017 at 7:25 amPillar box view, never heard it called that before, but I see it a lot around here and it is such a dangerous thing to do. Has anyone else noticed though that their cars windscreen is misting up more recently than they used to, this seems to be a permanent problem for me during the winter, even with the air con on it still mists.I have only noticed it on new cars, and when the low sun during the winter glares on the screen it makes it difficult to see.
Fraser says
December 6, 2017 at 9:23 amHi Andrew, is that something you’ve noticed on multiple cars? I had this issue when my air con needed some repairs but I can’t say it’s something I’ve noticed as a general trend.
Andrew says
December 6, 2017 at 9:02 pmNo just on the car I have at the moment, its only a few months old too.
Mr Butterscotch says
December 7, 2017 at 4:12 pmHi Andrew, have you tried cleaning all of the windows on the interior? If there is any left over residue this can impact on the misting. As Fraser has said a good air con service can also really help ensure your windows stay mist free. That being said, a new car should have plenty of refrigerant left – unless there’s a leak. If this is a chronic problem it might be worth speaking to your dealership about it. In terms of tech to combat frozen/misted screens, there isn’t much better than Ford’s Quickclear Heated Windscreens. I was sceptical at first due to the way it looked but it is super efficient.