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January, February and even March are the coldest months for us in the U.K. Time to wrap up warm and take some simple precautions for driving in bad weather conditions.
In Extremely bad weather conditions the best thing to do is stay off the road. Take heed of warnings not to go out. If you must go out in your car remember to take suitable tools with you in case you get stuck. A mobile 'phone is really handy but you could still be waiting a long time for rescue, especially if the rescue services are busy. Pack a blanket, hat, gloves and warm coat. If the weather is very wet, or snowy take some wellington boots and warm socks. WD40 spray is excellent for drying out high-tension leads (cables to the spark plugs etc). In-car rubber mats can be put under tyres to help get you out of icy or snowy jams.
Tyres: Condition and pressure should be checked regularly, either at home or when visiting a garage or filling station. Particularly, prior to any journey they should be examined for obvious signs of under-inflation, wear, cuts in the tread or sidewalls and stones and foreign objects trapped in the tread grooves (which should be removed). Don't forget to check the inside walls. Also check for uneven wear of the tread, either across or around the tyre, which could be due to mechanical defect. Have your vehicle checked, any fault put right and a new tyre fitted if necessary. Good tyres are especially important in snow, on icy roads and in heavy rain. Tyre pressures should not be checked while the tyres are still warm. This will result in a misleading pressure reading.
Brakes: Keep your brakes in top condition. Stopping takes much longer on wet, slippery roads, even with perfect brakes.
Weather and vision:
The biggest single danger to any driver is being unable to see properly. Always keep your windscreen, mirrors and windows clean and clear.
To avoid having to scrape ice off of your windscreens in the morning cover them with a big plastic sheet when you park at night. You can purchase simple windscreen covers, made for the job with suction cups attached to help keep them in place, for just a few pounds. This could save you time and effort and also ensure you have a good view a
nd are not trying to peer through a 'letter box' of frost!
The combination of water and ice adds up to an extremely slippery surface. It's even more dangerous when the roads are just beginning to freeze or thaw. Rain freezing on roads as it falls (black ice) is an invisible danger. Your steering will feel especially light. KEEP YOUR SPEED DOWN. Treat every control - brakes, accelerator, steering, clutch and gears - very delicately. No sudden movements; flowing steering, brake earlier and lighter, gentle acceleration.
If you haven't already done so, make sure your antifreeze is topped up in your engine coolant. Do this after the engine is warm but NOT hot and especially not if the engine has overheated. Be careful when unscrewing the filler/safety-valve cap - it might be very hot and you could get scalded.
Windscreen washer water should have anti-freeze washer solution added. This is available at most good garages.
Floods:
Drive in first gear as slowly as possible but keep the engine speed high and steady by slipping the clutch. If the engine speed is too low you might stall. If you drive too fast you could create a wave. Water could flood the engine and it could cut out.
Adjust your speed to the conditions, see and be seen.