Common winter driving mistakes

Each season brings its own perils for drivers, but winter can be especially challenging, even if you consider yourself a strong and experienced driver. Preparation is the key - both in kitting out your car and learning what to look out for - to help you stay safe on icy roads and snowy days.



The most effective way to learn is often from your own mistakes, but when you're dealing with something as serious as potential road accidents, sometimes it's wise to learn from the mistakes of others so you can reduce your chances of being involved in something similar yourself.



One of the most common errors made by novice drivers in particular when driving in the winter is following too closely to the car in front. You might have noticed that the car behind is giving you a wide berth, and with good reason - you should do so too, if you want to minimise your chances of being involved in an accident on slippery roads. While your reaction time may be unimpaired by the conditions outside your vehicle, the same can't be said for its components, and freezing up of brake cables, coupled with a loss of traction on icy and frosty surfaces, means your braking time will increase greatly.

This insufficient traction is a problem that can be remedied to some degree by replacing your all-weather tyres with special winter tyres, designed to offer a firmer grip and keep you in control of the vehicle. You should be wary of relying too much on increased traction though, especially when allowing it to colour your opinion of your new braking distance, which may not be significantly reduced.



While you can't control the weather, the same cannot be said for your own driving habits, which should be kept in check and improved upon to help you and your passengers remain safe, as well as to help you avoid collisions and subsequent car insurance claims. This includes driving too fast, especially on snow-covered roads, as factors such as reduced visibility will combine with your slower brake and steering wheel response to make you a much more significant danger to yourself and others.



A healthy and focused mind is essential to keeping you safe behind the wheel, which also means avoiding fatigue and other distractions, especially when driving in adverse conditions. Eating and drinking while in control of the vehicle should be avoided at all times, as should using mobile phones.