Snow and Ice – Some Driving Tips

At a time like this, when many roads are very dangerous due to compacted ice and snow, knowing you have car insurance can help you rest a little easier.

Much of the country already looks like a winter wonderland and Met Éireann are predicting that the current cold, snowy conditions will continue for the rest of the week.

Luckily there are some simple tips you can follow to help keep yourself and other road users safe when driving in the snow and ice:

Before you go anywhere…

• Avoid driving unless absolutely necessary and when possible take public transport
• Make sure to de-frost all your windows, including side mirrors, so that your view isn’t restricted – use a scraper or de-icer rather than hot water as this can crack your windows
• Remove all snow from your vehicle before setting off (as this may fall down and block your view while you are driving)
• Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged
• Be sure to take some warm clothes (hat, gloves, scarf) with you in case your car breaks down
• Be prepared – stock your boot up with a high visibility vest, a tow rope, a shovel and a spare wheel
• Let someone know approximately when you expect to arrive at your destination
• Check the weather and road conditions for the route you will be travelling – for weather forecasts check out www.met.ie/forecasts or www.irishweatheronline.com (a site run by weather enthusiasts) and for current road conditions try www.aaireland.ie/AA/AA-Roadwatch.aspx or www.irishweatheronline.com/2010/11/latest-conditions-around-ireland.html
• If you’re driving an automatic car, learn how to use the Manual Override function (as this will allow you to manually select the right gear so you can avoid breaking and ending up in a skid)
• Check your tyres (including your spare tyre) to ensure they have the right pressure and a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm
• Know what type of breaking system your car has and how it works, e.g. Anti Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Assist (EBA), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), Traction Control System (TCS) or Electronic Stability Programme (ESP)

On the road…

• When you’re pulling off, get your car into second gear as quickly as possible
• Once you’re driving, stay in the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin
• Drive gently and slowly
• To break without ending up in a spin, move smoothly into a lower gear than usual and allow the car to slow down – if necessary, use the brake gently
• Move into a lower gear when going downhill or going around bends
• Leave plenty of distance between yourself and the car in front and give yourself plenty of time to slow down or stop – breaking distances are ten times longer in ice or snow
• If you’re driving a rear-wheel vehicle be aware that it may slide more on corners

 What to do if you start to skid…

• A sign that you may be driving over black ice is a sudden reduction in tyre noise
• If your car begins to skid don’t jam on your breaks, as this can cause your wheels to lock and your car to go into a spin
• Gently remove the cause of the skid – either too much braking, too much steering, too much acceleration or a combination of these
• If your car has ABS it won’t skid when you brake – if ABS is activated keep your foot on the brake and steer yourself out of the skid
• If your car doesn’t have ABS and starts to skid as you brake, pump the brake pedal quickly and steer around whatever made you brake
• If your car skids sideways, turn your steering wheel in the same direction as the skid and ease off the accelerator

More safety tips for road users can be found at the Road Safety Authority website here.

Most importantly of all – in the eyes of your kids anyway! – check http://weather.schooldays.ie/ for updates and information about school closures.

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland