Winter is already upon us in Lincolnshire but as temperatures fall and the hours of darkness increase, driving conditions are likely to get considerably worse over the next few months for us.

Our latest blog post looks at what we can do to stay safe and reduce the risk of road accidents.

Winter driving – 5 simple pieces of advice and winter driving tips

1 Give more warning

Due to wet and wintery conditions, stopping distances are greater than during summer months so it is recommended that you give other road users more warning than usual when indicating to turn on or off at a junction, when braking and when pulling out.

2 Check your brakes

Your brakes are vital during the winter months. It’s important to know if your vehicle has anti-locking brakes and if not, know how to pump the brake pedal slowly to prevent the wheels from locking up and skidding if you need to slow down suddenly.

3 Beware of ice and snow

Be aware of your driving conditions, especially if the roads are icy or treacherous.  In ice and snow, you should triple your usual braking distances, using a lower gear to help you slow down and gently apply your brakes.

4 Use higher gears

To prevent wheel spin, which is especially dangerous when pulling out onto roads from being stationary, set off using a higher gear for more control. You should avoid using first gear at all, if possible.

5 Control skidding

Skidding can be extremely dangerous and the natural reaction of any driver is to slam on the brakes. However, many advanced driving instructors claim that in skidding situations, the best thing to do is to stay calm and not to brake or accelerate, but to steer the vehicle to safety.

Other winter driving tips

Items recommended you have in your car during the winter months include:

• Phone charger
• Warning triangle and high visibility vest
• Spare warm clothing, like a jacket and gloves
• A powerful torch or head-lamp
• Tow ropes
• Mobile car battery charger
• Multi-pack of drinking water
• shovel

Take care this winter and festive season

Take care when driving this winter and over the coming weeks if you are visiting family for Christmas by car.

If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident, please call us on 01507 609027 and we will do our best to help you claim compensation for your injuries.