Winter travel advice for drivers

Always take care when driving in icy conditions and never assume that the road is clear of ice.

Before setting out

• Ask yourself if your journey is absolutely necessary
• Check the local and national weather forecasts
• Listen to local and national radio for travel information
• Tell someone what time you expect to arrive
• Take extra warm clothes, food, boots and a torch if you are travelling outside of the city and, in snowy conditions, a spade
• Clear your windows and mirrors and carry a screen scraper and de-icer

Driving tips

• Move more slowly, steer smoothly and brake gently
• Use gears to slow down to minimise the risk of skidding
• If you do find yourself in a skid, focus on where you want to go not where the car is going
• Plan a route that keeps to treated roads and trunk roads where possible
• Keep sunglasses handy to avoid glare from low winter sun
• Keep windscreen clean
• Wear driving gloves, not winter gloves (which reduce control of the steering wheel)
• Check your tyres - tyre condition makes all the difference