Driving safely around the UK’s is a challenge at the best of times, so in winter, with ice and snow on the roads, there are added risks which can be partly overcome by taking extra care.

When in the car itself it is worth bearing in mind that having the heating on high, the lights on and the wipers going all put added pressure onto the car battery, so it is good advice to turn the heating down and the heated rear window off once the car is warm enough and the windows are clear. Bear in mind all the time the pressure winter driving can put on a car battery, so use electrical systems as sparingly as possible.

Ensure, at all times, that the vision from the windscreen and other windows is clear and get rid of any snow that is on top of the car’s roof as that will probably fall down onto the windscreen at some time during the journey and can also be a hazard to other road users.

As for tyres, a tread of 3mm for winter driving is necessary and, while snow chains are rarely used, except for more remote areas where there is more of a propensity for heavy snow, winter or all-season tyres may be more suitable as they have a higher silica content in the tread which stops it hardening in low temperatures, therefore giving a better grip in cold, wintry conditions.

As for driving in snow and ice, the best advice would be to take care and to drive slowly and calmly. Stopping distances are 10 times longer in snow and ice and so, keeping the speed down will give the driver the best chance of stopping in good time to avoid possible collisions, also, in such conditions sudden movements at the steering wheel are not advised. Again, take time and if the wheels do skid a little use gentle motions on the wheel to try and correct the vehicle.

The driver, and indeed passengers can also prepare well for a car journey in these types of conditions, firstly by wearing suitable clothing and wearing shoes that can grip in the snow. This is especially true for the driver who should try and avoid heavy, boots, which, if covered in snow, could slip on the pedals. When driving in these conditions, as has already been alluded to, keeping a constant speed, suitable for the conditions is the best option as well as choosing a suitable gear to use when going downhill as it is best to avoid changing gear at the time of going downhill in bad weather.

In these weather conditions, if you have to use the brakes at all, do so very gently and if the car skids, release the brakes and de-clutch the car. If the car is stuck then the driver should stop the vehicle and try and clear all the snow away from the wheels, getting a rug or something similar to put in front of the driving wheels to give them some grip. If the car moves then, if at all possible try and keep moving until you reach a road surface which is more conducive to driving.

In this type of weather, allow extra time for a journey, checking the traffic reports to ensure that the roads used are passable and whether any accidents or traffic jams have been reported. In taking all this advice the driver is ensuring that they have the best possible chance of driving safely and keeping both themselves and other road users safe.