Driving tips for bad weather and snowy conditions

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Frost and icy roads, as well as poor visibility, provide motorists with hazardous driving conditions in the winter and if you crash, your insurance premiums may got up at renewal time.

When really bad weather hits, the best advice is to simply stay off the road and not make any unnecessary journeys. But, if certain journeys are unavoidable, you should check the latest weather forecast, road conditions and traffic news before setting off to avoid getting stuck mid-journey.

Knowing how to drive in tricky conditions mainly comes down to common sense:

Driving technique

Stick to the speed limits and pay attention to the road and conditions ahead. Stopping suddenly on difficult surfaces can cause even the best of drivers to find themselves in trouble.

Snow and ice is a particular problem at this time of year. When driving in these conditions try to keep in a high gear to help avoid unintentional wheel spin.

You should also try to allow extra time for braking by increasing the distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead. Bare in mind that it can take up to ten times longer to stop in slippery conditions.

Avoid sudden, harsh braking or acceleration as this will cause your vehicle to struggle for grip and you may loss control. If do find yourself starting to skid or slide, avoid the natural reflex of braking and trying to change direction suddenly. Instead, ease off the accelerator and then apply gradual braking.

Leaving your car

When the snow hits us overnight, many people follow the same morning routine - scrape off the ice from the windscreen and leave the car running with the keys in the ignition to fully defrost and make the vehicle toasty and warm inside.

It doesn't take a genius to work out what a great opportunity this is for thieves to steal your car and drive off. You couldn't make it any easier for them. The majority of car insurance policies stipulate that any claims you make may be void when leaving your keys in the car or leaving it unattended. Can you afford that risk?

In case of emergency

Regardless of road surface issues, your vehicle may also fall foul of the winter conditions. Keep your car in good health and regularly serviced to avoid being stranded on the roadside.

For added piece of mind, you can take out a car breakdown insurance policy for yourself and your vehicle. You should also check to see whether this level of cover is included within your car insurance policy.

If you are unfortunate enough to fall victim to the harsh conditions, remember to use your hazard lights, move away from traffic and when it is safe to, call for assistance. Try to keep a mobile phone (or change for a public phone) in your car in case of emergency along with spare blankets and warm clothing.