Driving in winter comes with many potential hazards on the roads. Drivers can be confronted with dense fog, heavy rain, a flurry of snow or ice on the roads. These conditions mean drivers must take extra care when driving. Experts at Goodyear, the award-winning manufacturer of all-season tyres, have provided their tips to stay safe this winter.
Top winter driving tips:
- Plan your route and check the forecast
It’s always important to prepare well before you set off on any journey. But it’s doubly important if there’s a chance you’re going to be confronted with hazardous winter weather. Try to plan your route using major roads which will be gritted and cleared regularly. B-roads are less likely to be gritted than A-roads, so avoid them if snow or ice is expected.
- Adapt your driving style
Drive smoothly to ensure no sudden movements in braking or steering, this will help the tyre tread to maintain maximum contact with the road surface. Knowing how fast to drive in snow, matching speed to driving conditions and maintaining plenty of distance between the vehicle in front, will ensure plenty of time to react to any sudden braking. If your car should get stuck in snow, use low revs and a higher gear to smoothly move away.
- Keep all fluids topped up
Make sure your oil and windscreen wash are topped up. You should keep a bottle or flask of water in the car with you. You should also use antifreeze, which can help to protect your engine from damage. You can check your oil using the dipstick and a dry cloth. Ensure the coolant is topped up and add antifreeze as necessary. Unexpected delays could happen, so make sure you’ve got plenty of fuel in your tank or your electric vehicle is fully charged.
- Make your car visible
In winter we have shorter daylight hours, which causes poorer visibility, especially during rush hours. And if you add fog, frost, snow or heavy rain to dark mornings and evenings, you’ll need to take extra care to be seen easily by other road users. Start by making sure all lights are working and clear from snow or dirt. Only use your fog lights in foggy conditions otherwise you may dazzle other drivers. Also, keep your number plate clear from snow. Legally, this should always be visible.
- Clear your windows of snow, ice & mist
Clear all your windows and mirrors of snow, ice and condensation. Only set off when you have maximum visibility out of every window. If it has snowed, you should clear the snow from the roof of your car to prevent it falling onto the windows. If your wiper blades are worn or damaged, you should replace them.
- Check your tyres
One of the most important winter driving tips is to make sure your tyres are in good condition. You should always look after your tyres, but this is especially important in winter. Start by looking for cracks, cuts or bulges in the tyre. Arrange to replace the tyres if you notice any of these or speak to a reputable dealer or garage. Next up, check the tread depth. Legally, your tyres should have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm. Regular checks can avoid 3 penalty points and up to £2,500 in fines, so it’s best to stay safe.
You can test this by placing a 20 pence coin into the lowest tread depth of your tyre. If you cannot see the rim of the coin, this indicates the tyre is above 3mm, which is generally regarded as a good guide. Ask a mechanic if you’re not sure.
Finally, try to check tyre pressures at least once a month to ensure they are in line with what your vehicle manufacturer recommends.
- Use All Season or Winter Tyres (look for M+S or Snowflake tyre markings)
Winter tyres are designed to perform best at temperatures of 7°C and below as a guide. They are not a legal requirement in the UK as we do not experience extreme snow and ice (unlike in other European countries). However, if you regularly drive long distances through winter and especially if you drive in rural areas where roads are not always gritted, you should consider investing in winter tyres.
Alternatively, all season tyres provide extra reassurance for drivers not considering winter tyres. The design of the tread grooves on all season tyres help to protect against aquaplaning by moving water away from the tyre contact area. All season tyres also provide good performance all year round, meaning you won’t have to revert to summer tyres in the warmer months.
Recently the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 became the first all-season tyre ever to achieve an overall rating of “Good” in one of Europe’s leading tyre tests. (ADAC Germany). The tyre combines elements from the tread pattern, the groove arrangement and the sidewalls of Goodyear’s test-winning summer and winter tyres to ensure balanced performance in changing weather conditions, but it’s the compound where the magic happens. The tread compound for the Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 consists of up to 17 components, for example, synthetic rubbers which provide excellent grip and wear performance. Silica and traction resins offer outstanding grip, and braking performance in rainy weather. Other components include sulphur, wax, and antioxidants, as well as sunflower oil, which increases the flexibility of the rubber when road temperatures drop.
“The Vector 4Seasons Gen-3’s adaptive rubber compound ensures that the tyre remains flexible at different temperatures and offers reliable performance and outstanding mileage in a wide range of conditions. It actually represents a category of its own, connecting the best of two worlds”, says Goodyear’s compounding engineer Chris Kaes.
If you frequently drive to European countries during the snow season, it may be a legal requirement to fit winter tyres to comply with local laws, although all Goodyear all-season tyres come with the necessary 3-Peak Mountain Snow Flake (3PMSF) markings. You can check the regulations here: Goodyear guide to driving in Europe.
- Pack a winter survival kit
It might sound a bit much for our mild winters, but you never know how long you might be held up on the roads, so making sure you have all the right supplies in your car is essential. Here’s what you should include:
Warm clothes and some blankets
Snow shovels and an ice scraper
Warning triangle and high-vis jacket
Jump leads
First aid kit
Torch
Mobile phone and charger
Bottle or flask of water
- EV drivers
Electric car drivers often have the luxury of being able to warm their car and de-ice the windows from the comfort of their home. But it is important to ensure the car is fully charged, as journeys may take longer than expected.
- Look after car batteries and electrics
If your car battery is several years old, it may suffer in wintery conditions. Make sure to turn off lights, heating and wipers when not in use and before you start the car. If you don’t use your car often, prevent a flat battery by giving it a regular charge. Lastly, to help you remember the essential winter checks and winter driving tips, remember the FORCES acronym: Fuel, Oil, Rubber (tyres), Coolant, Electrics and Screen wash.
