There are so many good reasons why, at this time of year, you should take the time to check the weather before you drive. For England, this can be done by calling the Highways Agency live traffic information service on 08700 660 115.
The obvious reason to check the weather before you drive is because winter is a time of year when adverse weather is most likely to occur. The snow, ice, sleet and storms that so often occur during the winter make it harder to drive. This is the case regardless of how well you have prepared your car for the winter weather by taking such measures as ensuring that you have enough tread on your tyres. No matter how ready your car is to brave the weather, winter driving is still a risk, and in countries like the UK where snow isn’t an everyday occurrence, many drivers are not sufficiently experienced in the conditions and are therefore unable to drive sufficiently carefully.
Winter driving can be incredibly difficult, so you are advised to check the weather first so that you can hopefully wait for an improvement in the weather before you drive anywhere. When driving in snow, it is easy to get your speed wrong. If you drive too fast, you risk losing control, whereas if you drive too slowly, you risk losing momentum when you need it, possibly becoming stuck in the snow. Remember that it can take up to 10 times longer to stop your car when the roads are slippery, meaning that you need to reduce your speed and drive carefully accordingly, even if the roads have been gritted.
Even if you cannot see ice on the road, there may still be plenty of black ice in unexpected places that can cause your car to skid. Winter driving conditions can be made particularly challenging if there is a high risk of ice due to the road layout and location. Hilly or exposed roads or roads that pass over or under a bridge, in addition to those that are shaded by buildings or trees, are all places where ice can very easily form.
The difficulty of winter driving can greatly increase the risk of having an accident. It can hamper visibility, and if you cause an accident as a result of not being able to see clearly due to ice and condensation on your windows, your car insurance premiums could also greatly increase.
References
Directgov (2011?). Safety in extreme weather. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Usingmotorwaysandroads/Roadsafetyadvice/DG_185021
BBC News Online (2010). How to drive in snow and icy weather. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8443690.stm
Hannah, Felicity (2010). 10 tips for getting your car ready for winter. http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/news/ten-tips-for-getting-your-car-ready-for-winter/0010548/
Your Cover Insurance (2010). Winter driving tips – preparing for winter. http://www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk/en/products/car_insurance/hints_and_tips/driving_safely/winter_driving_tips-preparingforwinter.html
Haynesonline (2011?). Drive safely this winter with Haynes. http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Feature_WinterDrivingAdviceView?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001
Directgov (2010). Snow and ice – travel and local services updates. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_174618
Hannah Warder is a writer for MediaVest (Manchester) on a range of topics such as car insurance.