I drive to and from school every day. It is a concern in winter as the roads are slippery in the mornings with ice. We also live in a hilly area so I am extra cautious. When I was pregnant with Little Ms. J, my husband didn’t want to drive on the ice. He took Bean to the school and then crashed the car home. He was lucky that he was alone and nobody was injured, but he damaged our car, van, lamppost, and house when he skidded out of control.
This fantastic e-book was created by the team that provides car insurance through chill to help raise awareness about winter driving and how to make it safer. The team who provides car insurance from chill conducted a survey among Irish motorists. They found that 15% of them had been involved in an accident in Ireland during the winter. 14% said that they spent one to two more hours behind the wheel than in the summer. How can we drive safely in winter when there is more time spent on the road?
ICY AND SNOW
Avoid heavy braking in snow or on ice. Let off the gas gently and steer gently in the direction that you want to go if you skid. When driving on snow or ice, slow down.
FOG
You should not drive if it is foggy. Avoid driving in fog and use your fog lights to avoid being too close to vehicles in front in case you or they need to brake suddenly.
RAIN
Do not forget to double the distance between your brakes and the ground when it is raining. When you’re speeding, avoid driving through deep puddles.
CAR MAINTENANCE
Winter is the time to pay special attention to your car. Make sure you have roadworthy tires. To keep your windshield clean, always have a scraper and defrosting solution in your car. Screenwashes should include anti-freeze. Check that your battery and all lights are in good working order. Battery life will be reduced in cold weather.