Staying Safe on The Roads Over The Colder Months

More accidents happen on the roads over the colder months than any other time in the year. Below are the reasons for why this happens, and what you can do to avoid becoming a RTA statistic. 

Weather conditions

The most obvious danger during the colder months on the roads is of course the weather. Not just snow and ice, but even rain doubles your stopping distance and combined with all of the other factors below it can create the perfect storm when it comes to accidents. Always leave enough of a gap between your own car and the one in front in case you need to brake suddenly. On very icy, misty or snowy days, don’t go out on the roads unless you absolutely have to. 

Drink drivers

The festive season unfortunately sees a huge spike in drink driving, and even if you’re always sensible yourself you do have to be mindful of others. Keep your wits about you, be aware that sadly there could be drink drivers on the roads and ensure you’re keeping distance from them and reporting them if you feel that the law is being broken. 

Busy traffic

December is the busiest time of year. People are shopping for gifts, visiting relatives and are out and about doing festive things meaning there will always be more cars on the road. More traffic means more opportunities for things to go wrong, it’s the reason why rush hour tends to be the time most accidents take place- ask any car crash lawyer. There’s nothing much you can do about the roads being busy, but if you can, try to plan your journeys for the best times. Going out very early or much later in the evening for example will mean the roads are less hectic. There might be certain junctions or roads that you know to avoid completely as they get congested at busier times of year. 

Potholes and road closures

Winter really takes its toll on the roads, the ice and rain can cause potholes to develop. They’re not always easy to see, at hitting one at speed can cause serious damage to your car, as well as risking losing control. Keep an eye on the road conditions and keep your wits about you, especially on country lanes and other fast but less busy roads as potholes are less likely to have been reported. Poor road conditions can cause a lot of closures which adds time and stress to journeys and in turn can cause people to take more risks and drive more aggressively than they might normally to get to where they’re going. Check out your live route and see if there are any road closures before setting off so you can plan the most effective journey.

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