Latest advice on snow driving and safety equipment

With overnight temperatures expected to plunge to well below zero across the country tonight and the harsh conditions expected to last until Friday at the earliest, drivers are being warned to prepare for potentially hazardous driving conditions.

If you drive an older vehicle, cold temperatures can play havoc with your car – battery failure is the number one cause of vehicle breakdowns and the reason why motorists may face a longer-than-average wait should they need assistance.

If you must travel in the icy conditions, the following tips and equipment can help you avoid getting stuck in the first place.

Be prepared

|_. Best winter driving tips |_. 2010 |
|* Fitting snow chains to your car’s tyres will enable you to continue your journey should you be caught in snow. You need to remove them when road conditions improve, but they are a wise investment.

• In slippery conditions avoid sudden acceleration and braking – driving as smoothly as possible will make it less likely that you slide and return better fuel economy, too. If you start to skid, gently lift your foot off the accelerator and steer into the slide.
• Keep an ‘emergency bag’ in your boot containing two blankets, a bottle of water and some non-perishable, high-energy food.
• Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged and that the number of your breakdown recovery service is stored in the memory.
• It’s important you can see and be seen so take time to remove any snow and ice from your vehicle’s windows, headlights, brake lights and indicators.
• Your car may be fitted with Electronic stability control (ESC) – a gizmo fitted to some modern cars that in the event of a skid automatically applies the brakes to individual wheels. However, you may find that ESC hinders your progress up a snow-covered incline.
• Try to keep a shovel in your car so that you can dig yourself out of trouble.
• Breakdown cover costs from just £24 – ensure you have cover in place
• Listen to local weather forecasts as road conditions can change fast. If you find yourself stranded in your car in snowy conditions, call for assistance and unless you are at risk of being struck by other vehicles, stay where you are.
• Do not use cruise control in snowy or icy conditions.