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Drivers are unprepared for driving in severe winter conditions
Drivers are unprepared for driving in severe winter conditions
Road safety charity Brake and car insurance company Churchill are urging people on the roads to drive safely this winter, as many people are complacent about dangerous winter driving conditions.
Stourbridge,
West Midlands,
United Kingdom
(sardnews.org)
28/01/2013
Road safety charity Brake and car insurance company Churchill are urging people on the roads to drive safely this winter, as many people are complacent about dangerous winter driving conditions.
Brake and Churchill released figures in December showing that only one in six drivers follow safety advice regarding driving in snow conditions, nearly 33% of drivers will drive in snow for non essential journeys, 91 per cent of people underestimate stopping distances whilst driving in snow and 47 per cent of people fail to leave a four second stop gap in wet weather.
Despite these alarming figures, most people feel that other drivers are too close to the vehicle in front dangerous winter conditions, and think that most people drive too fast in snow and ice.
Paul Beresford runs Defensive Driver Training. DDT offers defensive and advanced driver training to help keep the roads, and its drivers safe and secure. DDT helps to train company, fleet and personal drivers keeping insurance and repair costs down. He says:
"When I used to work for Lucas the car components company, I used to sell wiper motors. We loved this time of year. Sales used to go through the roof as motors either burnt out or had their drive shafts stripped. The reason? On icy morning windscreen wiper rubbers freeze to the window. Always take the time to pull the rubber off the glass before you turn on the wipers otherwise the motors turn but the wipers stay put thus stripping the drive shaft or gearbox. Similarly don't try to shift the snow on the windscreen with the wipers. Scrape it off first and make sure the rubbers are not frozen to the glass. Wiper motors are very expensive things to replace.
"This week I have also witnessed a driver using his iPhone to scrape his windscreen, a lady in high heels tottering about in a foot of snow cleaning the snow from the roof of her car with a domestic mop, a driver on the school run peering through a face sized gap in the six inches of snow that otherwise completely covered the rest of the car including all windows. I've also seen a driver reversing off a drive into a major road with a rear window and side windows totally covered in snow, and a driver changing the offside rear tyre of his car in very poor visibility on the M5 with his backside hanging out into lane one.
"Never ever change a tyre yourself on the motorway. More people get killed on the hard shoulder than any other part of the motorway. A Mercedes S class, probably worth about £45000 left warming up on the drive with the engine running and the keys in the ignition and the doors unlocked is a car thief's dream. The insurance company would not be impressed if it gets stolen. Don't think it won't happen because it does."
Notes to Editors
Defensive Driver Training Limited has over 23 years' experience providing cost effective Defensive and Advanced Driving Courses in all types of vehicles. Click here to find out more about us.
Assisting major blue chip companies, NHS Trusts, Local Authorities and other public sector organisations to implement long term, low cost strategies have a proven track record of improving fuel efficiency, reducing claims rates, repair costs and insurance premiums. With a flexible approach and innovative courses which minimize disruption to clients' business, their pool of trainers are exceptional at devising bespoke training programmes that address clients' specific needs. Click here to find out more about what Defensive Driver Training courses entail.
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About Defensive Driver Training Limited
Defensive Driver Training Limited has over 23 years’ experience providing cost effective Defensive and Advanced Driving Courses in all types of vehicles.
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