Navigating Winter Wonderland: A Guide of How to Drive in the Snow
It’s getting colder outside, and although the snowy landscapes can be glorious to look at the practicalities of driving through it take a bit more consideration. Whether you are heading off on a snowy road trip or attempting the snowy commute to work, it is important to understand the impacts it may have on your journey. Let us take you through the steps of pre-planning, important driving tips, and additional expert advice we can provide to get you set up for the smoothest snowy adventure with your leased car or van.
How to Prepare for Driving in the Snow
Before setting off on the road in the snow, it is strongly advised to plan ahead. By doing so, you are minimising any risks, breakdowns, or issues that you might experience without planning. Here are our top 3 tips for pre-planning your snowy drive with your leased vehicle.
Check the Weather Forecast
Before you head off on your journey, take a look at the local weather forecast for your area and/or your destination. The most reliable forecast in the UK is the Met Office. Look ahead in the forecast to see how it might affect future journeys and consider postponing non-essential trips. If you are bracing for the frosty conditions, allow more time than usual for traffic and careful driving.
Car Maintenance
Similar to your boiler, your car needs a yearly maintenance check to make sure it is working efficiently and safe to drive. Regular maintenance checks, such as inspecting brakes, filling up screen wash, checking the tyres, changing oil, and checking the battery, can prevent unexpected breakdowns during challenging winter conditions.
Get in touch with us today if you would like to book a maintenance check with your leased car or van.
Packing Your Car
On every drive, it is advised to keep an emergency kit in your car in case of a breakdown or you find yourself in a sticky situation. There’s nothing worse than being unprepared for a situation for you and your family – especially in the snow! Therefore, in your emergency winter kit, we would typically suggest packing: a blanket, extra clothing, a flashlight, non-perishable snacks, and a first aid kit.
Winter Tyres
It may be that you are looking at winter tyres for your leased vehicle. Winter tyres are designed with a specific tread pattern and rubber compound to provide better traction on icy and snowy surfaces, significantly improving your vehicle's grip. These can be a great solution to slipping in the snow, however, we strongly advise you get in touch with our team before doing so, as the car lease will only allow a particular brand for your vehicle.
How to Drive in the Snow
Driving in harsh winter conditions can be difficult, especially in the UK when snow comes around every few years and causes chaos on the roads. We have a few top tips which you can do to keep you or your family safe on the snowy roads.
What to Wear
Make sure you choose comfortable footwear that allows you to manoeuvre the pedals with ease. You may consider taking a pair of sunglasses in case the winter snow reflects the sunlight directing into your vision.
Slow Movements
Although you may feel comfortable driving on the roads you use daily, changes occur which may take you by surprise. Therefore, by taking special consideration of the road surface and making smoother accelerations and decelerations you prevent the car from skidding.
You may consider using low revs and moving up to a higher gear as quickly as possible to prevent your wheels from spinning.
Increase Distance
RACrecommends leaving a gap 10 times larger than you usually would between you and other vehicles on the road. By doing so, you will be giving yourself a better stopping distance. Whether you're commuting or in traffic on your next journey, allowing this extra room will prevent colliding with cars in reaction to unexpected situations.
If you are heading uphill, it is more important to leave extra space between other cars or vans so that you can stay at a constant speed without the need to change gear. On the contrary, when heading downhill, try to maintain the speed to avoid breaking unnecessarily.
Brake Wisely
By allowing more distance between cars, it means you won’t need to brake as often. However, when you do need to use your brakes, make sure to apply a steady and gentle pressure to prevent skidding. If your car has an anti-lock braking system (ABS), maintain constant pressure during a stop rather than pumping the brakes.
Make sure that when you come to a bend in the road, you brake before turning the wheel. This will help keep grip and pace, however, if you feel that you are starting to lose control, take your foot off the accelerator and focus on directing the car with the steering wheel.
Driving Carefully with Car Leasing
If you haven’t driven in the snow before, it is even more important to take precautionary measures before setting off on the road. Pre-plan, follow the steps and transform your winter driving experience from stressful to enjoyable. So, go ahead, lease that car, embrace the snowy roads, and let the winter adventure begin!