Insurancewide.com’s winter driving guide

As the temperatures drop and snow falls, stay off the road and avoid making unnecessary journeys advises James Harrison, Chief Executive of Insurancewide.com, the insurance comparison website.

“Icy roads and poor visibility provide motorists with hazardous driving condition. If certain journeys are unavoidable, you should check the latest weather forecast, road conditions and traffic news before you set off to avoid getting stuck mid journey.”
“Using good common sense is the best way forward when driving in tricky conditions during the winter months. Stick to the speed limits and pay attention to the road and condition ahead. Stopping suddenly on difficult surfaces can cause even the best of drivers to find themselves in trouble. Snow and ice is a particular problem at this time of year. When driving in these conditions try to keep in a high gear to help avoid unintentional wheel spins. You should also try to allow extra time for braking by increase the distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead. Avoid sudden, harsh braking or acceleration as this will cause your vehicle to struggle for grip and you may lose control. If do find yourself starting to skid or slide, avoid the natural reflex of braking and trying to change direction suddenly. Instead, ease off the accelerator and then apply gradual braking.”

“When the snow hits us overnight, many people follow the same morning routine - scrape off the ice from the windscreen and leave the car running with the keys in the ignition to fully defrost. It doesn’t take a genius to work out what a great opportunity this is for thieves to steal your car and drive off. Beware that the majority of car insurance policies stipulate that any claims you make may be void when leaving your keys in the car or leaving it unattended.”

“For added piece of mind while driving in the winter, you can take out a car breakdown insurance policy for yourself and your vehicle. You should check to see whether this level of cover is already included within your car insurance policy.”