Driving in fog
•Take particular care when driving in fog, especially at night. Fog can be patchy, going from a light mist to a thick blanket in an instant. Obviously, the faster you drive in these conditions, the less time you will have to avoid danger.
•As you enter fog, check your mirrors and slow down. Use your foot brake lightly so that your lights warn following drivers.
•Use dipped headlights and fog lights if visibility is reduced so you can be seen. But remember it’s an offence to use high-intensity rear foglights in clear conditions (that is, if visibility is greater than 100 metres). Make sure your main beams aren’t turned on by accident. Main beams direct light up into the fog, making it difficult for you to see. Dipped headlights direct light down onto the road and help other drivers to see you.
•Keep an eye on your speedometer because studies show that some drivers acclimate themselves to foggy conditions and unconsciously increase their speed over time. If you can see less than 12 metres (40 feet) ahead, your speed needs to be reduced to less than 20mph.
•Use your windscreen wipers and demisters.
•Beware of other drivers who are not using their headlights.
•If you park your car on a main road, try and get your vehicle completely off the road. You could be rear-ended!
How to Deal With Driving In Snow
Nobody likes driving in the snow and dealing with the delays that result. If you must travel in the snow, taking these steps should increase your chances of getting home again safely.
There’s nothing more beautiful than a blanket of new-falling snow. Unless, of course, you’re driving in it. Winter snow and ice pose special problems for even the most experienced…
driver. Take a few moments to learn these basic rules of winter driving safety.
Make sure that your car is well maintained, plan your route carefully and check the latest weather forecast.
Keep a full petrol tank. It may be necessary to change routes or turn back during a bad snow storm.
It’s also a good idea to keep a breakdown kit (warning triangle, torch, blanket, chocolate bar) in your car in case of emergency. Membership of a breakdown service is also advised.
The first fall of snow is very dangerous if the roads have not been gritted. Once gritted, there should be enough grip for careful driving, but it’s when snow becomes compacted and refrozen overnight that the greatest care must be taken. Ungritted roads will become impassable by most vehicles and even gritted surfaces can remain extremely slippery.
Keep your windscreen and windows clear.Keep a ice scraper handy, and use the car defroster or a clean cloth to keep the windows free of mist
Allow more distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead. At least TEN seconds.
If your vehicle skids, don’t hit the brakes! Ease off the accelerator and steer slightly into the direction of the skid until you gain control. Turn with steady rather than jerky motions.
An equally common problem is getting stuck in the snow. Your wheels spin but your car goes nowhere. This is when emergency equipment is most important. Don’t continue to spin your wheels; you’ll only wind up in a deeper rut. Instead, pour sand, salt or gravel around the drive wheels to give them something to grab onto and improve traction ( An old carpet is ideal). You can also shovel snow away from the wheels and out from under the car to clear a pathway.
Ice is even more dangerous, because the thicker it is, the harder it is to see. When running or standing water freezes on the road, it forms black ice. This can linger in the shadows cast by trees and buildings throughout an otherwise sunny day. So if there has been a sharp frost overnight, be careful, especially when driving through shadows that keep the sun off corners and roundabouts.
How to Deal With Driving In Floods
Floods are Deceptive, Dangerous and Deadly
When a large amount of rain falls over a short period of time, ditches, rivers and lakes become filled with water and overflow into low-lying or poorly drained areas. In addition to the high frequency of excessive rainfall events, the impacts of flooding in Britain may increase as the countrys urban development grows.
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There are many types of flood that can occur around the country:- •River Floods :- These floods occur when surface water flow rises and channels overflow.
•Coastal Floods :- These floods occur when coastal areas of land become inundated with sea water.
•Urban Floods :- Built-up areas can experience up to 6 times greater run off than rural areas due to abundant concrete and tarmac surface cover, therefore heavy rainfall can turn streets into swiftly moving rivers of rainfall runoff.
•Flash Floods :- When precipitation in a particular watershed is chanelled quickly to the outflow point of the basin, a sudden increase in discharge can be caused. These floods usually occur within 6 hours of a large rainfall event.
If you live in an area where flooding may occur, move your vehicle to higher ground if flooding is expected. As well as the risk of damage to your vehicle by leaving it in a flooded area, it may also be a hazard or cause obstruction to emergency services.
Do not drive unless your journey is absolutely necessary.
If you have to drive in a flooded area take care. Do not attempt to drive through water if you are unsure of the depth.
Don’t drive through fast-moving water, such as at a flooded bridge approach – your car could be swept away
Drive slowly and steadily to avoid creating a bow wave, and allow on-coming traffic to pass first.
Keep the engine revving by slipping the clutch otherwise water in the exhaust could stall the engine.
Modern vehicles are fitted with catalytic converters in the exhaust system. The catalyst normally works at high temperatures and may crack if it is submerged in water. Replacement catalysts are expensive.
The air intake on many modern cars is located low down at the front of the engine bay and it only takes a small quantity of water sucked into the engine to cause serious damage. All engines are affected but turbo-charged and diesel engines are most vulnerable.
Be considerate – driving through water at speeds above a slow crawl can result in water being thrown onto pavements, soaking pedestrians or cyclists. You could face a fine of £2,500, with the extra punishment of between three and nine penalty points if the police believe you were driving without reasonable consideration to other road users
If your car stalls, immediately abandon it and climb to higher ground. Watch your footing. Just six inches of fast-moving flood water can sweep a person off his or her feet.
Test your brakes as soon as you can after driving through water.
If the vehicle has been stood in the flooded area for any prolonged period contact your local dealer for further advice.
If the vehicle has only been in a flood for a short period, drive with extreme caution and take the car to be checked at the earliest opportunity.