Smarter ways to stay safe in icy conditions

WITH white frosty mornings also comes icy roads and that’s why Richard Gladman from the Institute of Advanced Motorists has put together advice on how to deal with driving and riding on ice – and to keep Jack Frost at bay.

First make sure you know how the demister settings on your car work to maximum effect and how to adjust them properly.

Never pour boiling water on the screen as the sudden temperature change may cause cracks. Prevention is better than cure so, if possible, cover the glass overnight with cardboard or an old sheet to prevent freezing or invest in a windscreen cover.

If you haven’t done so already, get an anti- freeze check at your local garage or fast-fit centre. Keep your washer bottle topped up with an even stronger concentration of deicing fluid.

It might sound like old news, but you may need up to 10 times the distance to stop in icy conditions, so increase your following distance to account for this. If a car has to stop suddenly or worse still, a crash occurs, you will need extra time to react and stop

Richard, head of driving and riding standards at Roadsmart, adds: “Plan your route carefully as major routes are likely to be treated with salt and less likely to be icy. Leave more time for your journey, respect the conditions and don’t rush. Factor in delays and give yourself plenty of time.”