BBC - Cornwall - About Cornwall - Winter driving
BBC - Cornwall - About Cornwall - Winter driving: "Winter driving
Winter brings extra hazards for drivers, but you can still drive safely if you follow these motoring hints.
The winter weather is likely to highlight many motorists' lack of knowledge of how to drive in icy conditions, says motoring organisation RAC.
The company's patrols attend to a third more than the usual number of vehicles needing to be recovered following an accident in the winter, many of which could have been prevented if motorists had kept their speed down and increased the distance between themselves and the vehicle in front.
Snow on a car in Carn Brea 2004.
'It can take more than ten times longer to stop in icy conditions,' says Paul Oakley from the RAC.
'With many motorists travelling too fast for the road conditions, collisions are inevitable.'
When sub-zero temperatures are forecast and ice or black ice is inevitable, motorists should:
Slow down, steer gently and avoid harsh turns, braking or acceleration.
Keep a safe distance between themselves and other vehicles.
Look well ahead to anticipate problems.
When pulling away, use second gear if possible to avoid wheel spin.
Winter on Bodmin Moor
When braking, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allowing the speed to fall, and use the brake pedal gently.
If in a skid, turn the steering into the skid, easing off the accelerator but not braking suddenly.
When cornering, allow the speed to reduce well before bends and corners by easing off the accelerator. Try to avoid using the accelerator in rounding a corner as it may cause wheel spin and result in a skid.
When encountering black ice - which though not visible can be detected because the steering will feel light and/or the noise cre"
Winter brings extra hazards for drivers, but you can still drive safely if you follow these motoring hints.
The winter weather is likely to highlight many motorists' lack of knowledge of how to drive in icy conditions, says motoring organisation RAC.
The company's patrols attend to a third more than the usual number of vehicles needing to be recovered following an accident in the winter, many of which could have been prevented if motorists had kept their speed down and increased the distance between themselves and the vehicle in front.
Snow on a car in Carn Brea 2004.
'It can take more than ten times longer to stop in icy conditions,' says Paul Oakley from the RAC.
'With many motorists travelling too fast for the road conditions, collisions are inevitable.'
When sub-zero temperatures are forecast and ice or black ice is inevitable, motorists should:
Slow down, steer gently and avoid harsh turns, braking or acceleration.
Keep a safe distance between themselves and other vehicles.
Look well ahead to anticipate problems.
When pulling away, use second gear if possible to avoid wheel spin.
Winter on Bodmin Moor
When braking, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allowing the speed to fall, and use the brake pedal gently.
If in a skid, turn the steering into the skid, easing off the accelerator but not braking suddenly.
When cornering, allow the speed to reduce well before bends and corners by easing off the accelerator. Try to avoid using the accelerator in rounding a corner as it may cause wheel spin and result in a skid.
When encountering black ice - which though not visible can be detected because the steering will feel light and/or the noise cre"
