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Spot Light Instructor

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Some timely advice from Les Stonnell, who runs the LADC School of Motoring in Luton and is Operations Director of LAC Concilium Ltd.

The first thing to think about in snow is this: do I really need to go out in it? Is my journey really necessary or should I take the day off and go back to bed? If it is absolutely necessary, allow sufficient time for your journey and try to avoid travelling at dusk or in the dark.

Next: is my vehicle ready and prepared for the journey? Have I got plenty of fuel? This will come in handy should you become stranded or take a more circuitous route – if you are stranded the biggest source of heat is the engine. Stay warm: hypothermia is a killer.

If you are forced to abandon your car, try to leave it in the safest place possible. Try not to block the road, causing chaos and disruption or danger to other road users.

Make sure all lights are working and fluid levels are correct. Use a stronger mix of screen wash to ensure maximum cleaning and to prevent it freezing – do not use just water and never use washing up liquid. Make sure all windows are clean – use de-icer and a suitable scraper. A CD case will be fine if you have nothing better.

Never leave the engine running with the car unattended – if you wish to keep your car, that is. If the car is stolen you will not be covered by your insurance. To demist you could place a hot water bottle on the dashboard. Never pour hot water directly on to the screen: it turns the glass brittle and a slight knock or jolt could cause it to crack or shatter.

Dress suitably for the conditions. Take a thermos of hot drink or soup and high-energy food such as sweets, chocolate, and glucose-based snacks. Keep a blanket or sleeping bag and a high visibility coat or vest in the car. Have some kind of entertainment, especially when conveying young children. Also take a pair of sunglasses with you – they will reduce the glare of low winter sun on the snow. A charger for your mobile phone makes sense, as does knowing the telephone number of your breakdown service. Tell somebody that you’re on your journey, particularly if travelling in remote areas.

While driving, use the principle of gentle acceleration, steering and braking. These are the key. When pulling away, use a high gear such as second or even third and, with automatics, select second. Some automatics have a winter mode. Watch your speed and remember that cyclists and pedestrians will be less visible, as well as other vehicles.

If the driving wheels lose their grip, do not rev the engine – all that does is polish the snow and ice. And if your vehicle starts to skid, gently remove your foot from the accelerator and steer in the direction of the skid. Try not to brake – use the gears to slow down.

More often than not, black ice is found in areas that are shadowed from the sun, particularly on roads heading north to south. And while your car might be nice and warm, it could be well below freezing outside. Keep an eye on your the external temperature display, if you have one. They are a good guide. If the road has not been gritted, be wary of driving in the wheel-tracks of other vehicles, as compressed snow is likely to cause you to skid than undisturbed snow.

Remember that stopping distances can be increased by up to ten times in ice and snow, so keep your distance from the car in front and indicate early before turning or changing lanes. Give other drivers plenty of time to react. Always use dipped headlights – see and be seen. Do not use fog lights unless visibility is less than 100 meters, as it dazzles oncoming vehicles, and rear fog lights can obscure brake lights.

And finally, avoid flashing your headlights to acknowledge other drivers. You might intend it to be courteous, but it may well dazzle the other driver.