Driving tips to stay safe this winter

As ex-presenter of Top Gear Gti, broadcaster and journalist Victoria Macmillan Bell has a passion for motoring. She teamed up with Ford to give us some top tips for winter driving.

Winter is here and months ahead of getting to and from work in the dark is not a pleasing thought.  We have to adapt to our environment including all-manner of conditions which for many of us are tough, first-time experiences, such as driving on snow and ice. 

Planning and preparation are beyond consideration, they are vital.

Do you live in the countryside?  Have you just accepted to go to a party 45 minutes away tomorrow night? 

When did you last check your tyres? Have you got Anti-freeze in your screenwash?

We’ve put together a list of Winter Driving Tips and it’s really worth photocopying the pages and sticking them up near where you have your car keys in the house or somewhere visible.

On a personal note, I always carry my in-car phone charger with me, banishing the chance of running out of juice in the middle of nowhere.

Here are some more tips:

• Are you a member of a roadside assistance company?  Do you have their emergency contact details with you?
• Are you embarking on a new route or one that you haven’t done before?  Be sure to tell someone your plans.
• Never drive in your party shoes – heels get wedged under the pedals.  Drive in trainers or shoes with grippy soles.
• Did you get a blanket cum throw for Christmas that frankly isn’t going anywhere near your lovely sofa – stick it in the car, it’ll keep you warm and can be used to hide sales shopping and other personal items from prying eyes.
• Are you on medication for the sniffs or other ills?  Are the side-effects drowsiness? Check before you get behind the wheel.
• Beware of set-ups. If you’re female and driving alone, don’t stop to help another male or female. Chances are, they could have a plan to take your car and leave you stranded.
• Be sure not to use hot water to clear the windscreen. Frustrated motorists often resort to using tools such as stiletto heels, CD cases, credit cards and finger nails to scrape at stubborn ice,  and one in ten confess to pouring a kettle of boiling water onto the windscreen. Technology offers a quicker and simpler solution. Ford developed the patented Quickclear system 26 years ago, which uses a mesh of very thin heating wires embedded between two layers of windscreen glass to provide rapid de-icing and de-fogging

I would love to see the Driving Test incorporate learning how to drive in wintry and adverse conditions.  I spent this last winter which was particularly harsh on the North East Coast of the US (NY) and I still cannot believe in a country of such extreme temperatures that their driving test is so frighteningly basic.

The UK is the 2nd safest country to drive in the world.  We need to keep this up and hit the top spot and to help achieve this, we need to take more responsibility for ourselves.

When you next venture out into the chill of winter, think worst-case scenario, plan and prepare well in advance.