Now that we’re stepping into winter, it is ever more vital to be conscious about driving safely as weather conditions worsen. If you are new to driving van, or simply need a refresher, we’ve put together 10 tips for driving safely during winter. So here goes...
1 - Keep your distance
Your stopping distance increases by as much as 2 times in wet weather conditions, and 10 times in ice and snow. Ensure you keep your distance so that if you do need to stop, you’ve got plenty of room in front of you, if the vehicle goes into a skid. This is especially important in foggy weather, as it is hard to know if the vehicle in front of you has had to perform an emergency stop. Take it slow and be prepared to stop within your line of visibility.
2 - Keep an eye on your fuel gauge
With journeys taking longer and as routes may become impassable, we recommend keeping at least a quarter of your fuel tank extra to allow for all eventualities. Nobody wants to get stranded in the cold during winter weather. People breaking down and crashes on the road become more frequent in winter, so being stuck on traffic can also have an impact on your fuel, so don’t play chicken with the fuel gauge!
3 - Accelerate gently and move off in second gear
Use low revs to change up to a higher gear as quickly as possible. This reduces wheel slip or spin to increase your control over the vehicle which is imperative when driving on ice.
4 - Keep both hands on the wheel
Whilst this one sounds obvious it comes in especially handy if your vehicle is skidding. Try to avoid braking and steer into the skid so you can reclaim control. Often, experienced drivers have a ‘comfortable’ driving position, and it often involves one handed driving! In icy conditions, this can make regaining control of the vehicle difficult.
5 - Pack a pair of sunglasses
As the amount of daylight dwindles, the likelihood that you could be driving when the sun is at its lowest increases. Pack a pair of sunglasses so you don’t end up squinting whilst driving!
6 - Avoid crossing high bridges in windy conditions
Driving across high bridges, particularly in strong winds can be downright dangerous, especially in a high sided van such as a Luton or Large Van. Plan ahead and ensure to check alternative routes so you don’t run the risk.
7 - Driving uphill
Leave plenty of distance when driving uphill, in wintry weather you need to maintain a constant speed without the need for changing gear. The same applies for going downhill, leaving plenty of space and use a lower gear.
8 - Take full advantage of your lights
Use dipped headlights in snow as daytime running lights are not always visible to other drivers. Similarly, when driving in fog, if your visibility ducks below 100 metres put your fog lights on to remain as visible to other drivers as possible. Just remember to turn them off when your visibility improves!
9 - Driving around bends
Gently brake as you approach a bend and turn the steering wheel. Try to stay calm if your car or van drifts and take your foot off the accelerator. It’s important to note that when a van is empty, there’s little weight over the rear wheels, so in wintery conditions, vans can have more of a tendency than cars to break into a slide. If this happens, turn into the slide.
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10 - Be aware of your environment
If roads have not been gritted, be wary of driving in the wheel tracks of other vehicles as compressed snow is more likely to be icy than fresh or powdered snow. Keep an eye out for black ice and areas the sun has not been able to reach which could still be icy even if the rest of the road has thawed. Bridges are the worst culprits and are usually the first to freeze and last to thaw but also keep an eye out in rural areas where gritters may not be able to reach and are more prone to deeper snow.
Well, that’s it for our Top 10 Winter Driving Tips, we hope you found these useful. Of course, it’s worth noting that in particularly bad conditions, if you have a booking with us, we often advise you not to take the vehicle out at all, for your own safety. If this is the case, we will rearrange your hire completely free of charge.
Remember, if you need to hire a van during the winter months in Skipton and North Yorkshire, we’d be happy to help. Alternatively, if you have any questions about car or van hire in Skipton, you can contact us on 01756 792911.
