Top tips for winter driving

While snowfall and frosted roads make for beautiful scenery, wintry weather also makes driving difficult and dangerous for even the most experienced motorist. To help drivers be better and reduce the risk of accidents, the experts at Rooster Insurance, an app-based car insurance provider for good drivers, have shared some top tips for driving safely this winter:

It is important to prepare for your journey. Even if you are just popping to the local shop, pay attention to your route and, if there are alternatives available, try to avoid any exposed country roads. Allow yourself more time to complete the journey.

Regardless of the length of your journey, it is a good idea to prepare an emergency kit to keep in your car. This should include a de-icer, an ice scraper, water, a torch, jump leads and a portable phone charger.

Before you start driving in snowy conditions, it is important to make sure that not only are you prepared for the journey,

but that your car is, too. When checking your engine, it is a good idea to consider changing your oil as this can reduce the risk of engine damage. You can also mitigate the risk of damage by adding antifreeze to the water in the engine’s cooling system – combining antifreeze with water reduces the chances of a frozen or cracked engine.

When it comes to driving in the snow or on icy roads, drive slowly and allow space. Particularly when you are driving uphill, keep as much space as possible between yourself and other cars on the road – this will help you to maintain a steady speed without having to suddenly change gears.

Stopping distances for cars can be much longer in icy conditions, so make sure to drive slowly and carefully to avoid losing control of your vehicle.

Before you set off, make sure your windscreen is clean and clear. Don’t pour boiling water directly on to the windscreen – this can cause your windscreen to crack. Instead, opt for de-icer and an ice scraper to clean your windows.

Keeping your windscreen clear in harsh conditions can be difficult, even when you have taken precautions, so do not hesitate to pull over at available service stations, or any safe stopping points on your route, to allow time to demist it.

The icier a road, the more slippery it is. As skidding is more common in such conditions, pay close attention to steering and braking – make sure both are as gentle as possible to avoid harsh movements or sudden jolts on the road.

It is likely that major roads will have been gritted to counteract icing and while this is preferable for drivers, it is important to be aware of gritters and any vehicles spreading

de-icer. These vehicles may throw out grit on to your car, if you get too close, which can be distracting to drivers and damaging to your car.

Granny Mcgregor

Reader Dave Orr has been in touch and says: “I recognise the postcard shown in last Monday’s column of the hand loom weavers in Kirriemuir. Indeed, I have a copy sent to me from a descendant. It shows hand loom weaving in Kirriemuir.

“The lady on the left is Granny Mcgregor (nee Mclean) and the Mcgregor family say she was the ‘last hand loom weaver’ in Kirriemuir before the mills took over.

“The card was given to me by her grandson, Jim Mcgregor, who now lives in Virginia, USA, and as his family in the US have no interest in it, he thought it might be best returned to Kirriemuir. The postcard I have is undated but is part of The Ideal Series and is number 134814.”

“The tram depot at Monifieth was mentioned by Tom Mitchell in a recent column,” says Jim Howie of Broughty Ferry. “Here is a postcard of tram number 1 leaving the depot. The card was published by a local stationer, William Riddell of Monifieth, and posted on January 11 1915.”