Giving Yourself Extra Travel Time This Winter

The winter is a notoriously difficult time of year to be out on the roads, especially once the dark nights start to draw in, the snow starts to fall and the ice starts to form in the cold, shaded areas on the road. Drivers subconsciously change their driving styles once it goes dark or the conditions start to change, and this presents its own series of challenges for other road users. For instance, a road that is normally free-flowing at 60mph during the summer might be crawling along at 30mph on a winter’s morning with frost on the ground as drivers slow down and this is a common reason for shunt accidents.

Due to the poor weather and difficult driving conditions, many drivers choose to leave earlier than normal, driving at slower speeds towards their destination. While this does make great sense – taking extra precautions to drive more safely – it also presents risks because of the drivers who leave at their normal times and then end up in a rush. Road rage is a common occurrence on main and quieter roads, and being overly cautious only makes the rage worse in some drivers. However, this isn’t to say that driving cautiously with extra time allocated for the journey is a bad thing.

Many drivers choose to have winter tyres fitted to their vehicles to enhance the amount of grip available on the slippery or icy surfaces. Others choose to allocate more time for their journeys, at this time of year, safety should be of paramount importance.

Giving yourself extra time won’t just help you to be more cautious on the roads, but also enhances your chances of stopping in an emergency or reacting to any unforeseen events. For example, you’re driving on a foggy morning and attempt to turn around a blind bend on your way into town only to find a queue of traffic waiting for a junction ahead. By driving more slowly you enhance your chances of stopping on time and reduce the risk of sliding so far if there is any ice on the roads.

Changing your driving style during the winter months can make a significant difference to your experience on the roads, and you can get some tips from this handy infographic:

Winter Driving Tips – An infographic by T W White & Sons