Safe Driving In Bad Weather With Conor Faughnan

Wednesday, 7 January 2009

Brrrraving the elements!

. January presents us with unpleasant weather, making driving dangerous. We at The Afternoon Show want to make your journey safe.

. The best time to drive in bad weather is to avoid it. Only make essential journeys.

. However, if you must go out, then The Afternoon Show has some safe driving tips for you.

3 Day Weather Outlook - courtesy of www.rte.ie/weather:

Wednesday will be another cold, mostly dry day with bright or sunny spells, and light winds. The overnight frost and fog will be slow to clear, and may linger in some areas. Frost and fog will become widespread again Wednesday night. This will be followed by another cold, dry day on Thursday, with most of the frost and fog clearing. Frost in many areas Thursday night also, with another dry, cold day on Friday. The daytime temperatures will generally rise to between 3 C and 6 C, with winds remaining light, but it will be even colder where any fog lingers.

Bad weather is on the horizon
Factors beyond our control can seriously affect driving conditions - these include, frost, fog, ice, hail, snow, wind.

Conor Faughnan
. Conor Faughnan is Public Affairs Manager with AA Ireland.
. The AA was founded in Ireland in 1910 to promote road safety.
. In 2000, the AA launched it websites aaireland.ie and aaroadwatch.ie, becoming Ireland's travel and traffic portal.

With the inclement weather approaching over the next week, drivers need to take extra caution as conditions become hazardous. Conor is here to help and advise viewers how to best prepare for a safe journey.

. Prepare before you set out on that journey.
. Tell someone your planned route if you are heading on a long distance journey.
. Wear your seatbelt at all times.

Driving in fog:
(Visibility is usually down to less than 200 meters before conditions are classed as foggy)

Give yourself plenty of time for your journey, dip your headlights, (Tip - do not use rear fog lights in clear conditions), do not use full beam lights, they direct light into the fog and make it difficult for you to see other traffic. Reduce speed and keep a safe distance from the car in front.

Fog can go from light to dense in an instant so, be prepared and remember, as you enter fog, check mirrors and use your brakes lightly in order to alert other drivers following behind you.
Use windscreen wipers and demisters. High humidity from foggy conditions can mist up windows.

Driving in Ice and Snow:
- Black Ice
Never use boiling water to clear a frozen windscreen - it can damage the glass. Keep a can of de-icer handy instead.
Wear your seat belt. Keep a good distance between you and other cars on the road. At minimum, a few hundred feet. This gives you and other drivers' room in the event of any cars skidding on black ice or snow.

Black ice is usually due to snow melting. It is more commonly found in roads close to water - rivers, lakes, etc., Use particular caution on bridges and over passes as they tend to frost easily. Black ice is particularly dangerous as it is not always visible to the driver and undetectable until the car begins to slide. A good tip for noticing black ice - a path that looks slightly darker than the road surface usually indicates the presence of black ice.

What to do if you hit black ice:
If your car begins to slide do not hit the brakes. Slamming down on the brakes will make you lose control of your car. Just gently and slowly tip the brake pedal; change down gears and try to steer out of danger. Also turning the wheel in the direction of the skid will help you to get better control of your car.

Driving in snow:
Keep at least half a tank of petrol/diesel in the car at all times - if you get stranded you can turn on the engine for some heat.
If you skid - anti lock brakes - press firmly on brake and hold it; if the pedal pulsates, don't worry, it's usual.
No Anti lock brakes - gently pump brake pedal so the wheels don't lock.

Driving a four wheel drive is not safer when skidding on black ice; so just because you are in a four wheel drive vehicle; you are not automatically invincible on the roads.

Driving in rain:
Make sure your wipers are in good condition.
Make sure your tyres are in good condition. Bald tyres reduce your resistance to stopping.

Remember - when driving in the rain the soles of your feet will be wet when you get into the car so try and scuff them a bit on the car mats before you take off.

Slow down and keep your distance. It takes longer to stop in rain and wet conditions.

Try and drive towards the middle lane as water tends to veer towards the side of the road and outside lanes. Also try and drive in the tracks of the car ahead of you - but do not follow large trucks as the spray will reduce your visibility.

Use your head lights:
Do not drive through moving water if you cannot see the ground below it. You could be swept off the road.
Slow down when driving through puddles. Deep water can cause damage to the car's electrical system.

Driving at night:
Driving at night is vastly different to driving during day light hours. We are dependent on artificial sources of light. Watch carefully for pedestrians, cyclists, animals etc.,

The obvious one is to use your headlights. You must have your lights on from sunset to sunrise. If you are in doubts as to whether or not to use them.put them on.
If you have a passenger, ask them to be an extra pair of eyes.
To avoid eye fatigue, keep eyes moving from side to side etc.,
Keep mirrors clean and clear.

Drive at a safe distance. A total stopping distance is the distance you car travels from the moment the hazard appears 'till your car comes to complete stop. So, if you cannot see properly ahead at night, you must slow down and give yourself a greater stopping distance. The minimum stopping distance for a car travelling at 55km/h in good conditions with good brakes is approx 250 feet - give yourself more in bad conditions and when it's dark.

1. Controlling your speed.
Observe speed limits and adjust your speed to the situation. Never drive so fast that you can't stop within the distance you can see to be clear.
2. Be Alert.
Anticipate events ahead. You should be looking 100 meters or more beyond your car at all times and be aware of traffic movements ahead of you while also observing traffic around you.
3. Stay Back.
Do not follow the vehicle in front by less than one vehicle length at any time with a minimum separation of a two second gap - approx 100 meters.

- Courtesy of AA Ireland website. www.aaireland.ie

Suggested car emergency kit:
. Something to scrape away the ice on the windscreen. (Credit card would do if nothing else available).
. Something to cause traction if you get caught in snow - sand, kitty litter, salt. Even floor mats from the car would do in an emergency!
. Fully charged mobile 'phone.
. Gloves, scarf, jumper, jacket, car blanket, torch, spare batteries or self charging torch, flask with hot drink, snacks.
. Jump start cables.
. First aid kit.