Police issue winter driving advice

Police are urging drivers to respect the elements and adjust their driving accordingly in the current spell of bad weather. See winter driving advice in Notes for editors below. The bad weather MAY have been a factor in the following collisions.

Incident 338 of 19 November RTC - Welsh Road East, Southam, Leamington

Police are appealing for witnesses to an RTC involving a red Volvo 440 saloon and a red Peugeot 405 saloon that occured at 14.21 hours on Friday 19 November at the junction of the road to Priors Marston, Welsh Road East, Southam. A 24 year old female suffered foot and back injuries during the collision needing hospital treatment. Any witnesses are please asked to contact the OIC 381 Owen King at Southam on 01926 812366 x 5881

Incident 427 of 19 November RTC - Rugby Road, Southam, Leamington

Police were called to an RTC on the Rugby Road, Southam at 16.36 on Friday 19 November. A silver Peugeot 306 had rolled into a ditch. The driver managed to get out of the vehicle and appeared unscathed.

Incident 384 of 19 November RTC - A422, Sunrising Hill, Banbury

Police are appealing for witnesses to an RTC that occured around 15.15 on 19 November on the A422 just prior to Sunrising Hill, at the junction with the road to Radway. A Green Ford Fiesta pulled out of the junction heading towards Banbury and a blue Honda Jazz saloon drove into the back of the Fiesta. The driver of the Fiesta suffered a slight neck injury and was taken by ambulance to Warwick Accident and Emergency. Any witnesses are please asked to contact OIC 888 Tim Ivers at Stratford on 01789 414111 x4515

THINK! advice - winter driving
Winter - respect the elements

The British winter is unpredictable. Bad weather can strike suddenly so the best advice when severe weather hits is to stay off the road. If you must drive, make sure you are prepared for the conditions.

Plan your journey
During wintry weather conditions

• Ask yourself - is your journey absolutely essential?
• Clear your windows and mirrors before you set out and carry a screen scraper and de-icer. Vehicle condition In winter it is even more important to check you vehicle is well maintained and serviced.
• Keep the lights, windows and mirrors clean and free from ice and snow.
• Keep your battery fully charged.
• Add anti-freeze to the radiator and winter additive to the windscreen washer bottles.
• Make sure wipers and lights are in good working order.
• Check that tyres have plenty of tread depth and are maintained at the correct pressure.

Adjust your driving to the conditions

• Hail, heavy snow and rain reduce visibility.
• Use dipped headlights and reduce your speed.

When roads are icy or slushy

• It can take ten times longer to stop in icy conditions than on a dry road. Drive slowly, allowing extra room to slow down and stop.
• Use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin.
• Manoeuvre gently, avoiding harsh braking and acceleration.
• To brake on ice or snow without locking your wheels, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allow your speed to fall and use the brake pedal gently.
• If you start to skid, ease off the accelerator but do not brake suddenly.

Watch out for fog

• Watch out for fog - it drifts rapidly and is often patchy.
• In foggy conditions, drive very slowly using dipped headlights.
• Use fog-lights if visibility is seriously reduced, but remember to switch them off when visibility improves.
• Don't hang on to the tail-lights of the vehicle in front. This gives you a false sense of security and means you may be driving too close.
• Don't speed up suddenly, even if it seems to be clearing. You can suddenly find yourself back in thick fog.

Winter sun

• Dazzle from winter sun can be dangerous. Keep a pair of sunglasses handy. Take care around winter maintenance vehicles Salting and snow ploughing
• Take care when travelling behind winter service vehicles. Drivers of vehicles such as salt spreaders and snowploughs take all reasonable precautions to protect the safety of other road users.

Salting vehicles

• Salting vehicles travel at speeds of up to 40 mph spreading salt across all lanes of the carriageway. Drivers are advised to maintain a safe distance behind them. Do not attempt to overtake.

Snow ploughing

• Snow ploughing can throw up irregular amounts of snow that may be a hazard to vehicles. Drivers are advised to maintain a safe distance behind vehicles and not to attempt to overtake.

For more road safety advice please visit the government's www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk