A QUARTER of drivers have been involved in a motor accident in snow or icy conditions according to research* by Santander Car Insurance.
And men are more likely to be the culprits, with nearly twice as many men getting into trouble as women.
The research showed that while only 16 percent of male drivers would admit to lacking confidence driving in snow and ice, 43 percent of female drivers said they would rather not.
Santander found that 9 percent of men refuse to adapt their driving style in poor conditions
Santander also found that 9 percent of men refuse to adapt their driving style in poor conditions while only 3 percent of women were that daft. Nearly a third of drivers involved in an accident fall into the group that refuses to change the way they drive in bad weather.
Six percent of drivers admitted that didn’t know how to change their driving practices to cope with slippery conditions.
If you’re a company car driver and you feel you have to drive in poor conditions, make sure you adjust your driving to cope. Check out the link below for advice on winter driving but here are some key things to remember:
- Stopping distances increase up to 10 times in snow and ice – and sometimes you only stop when you hit something. Leave plenty of distance between you and the car in front
- Try not to use the brakes. Even with ABS you are much more likely to skid if you brake. Change down to a lower gear instead
- Think again about gears. Use 1st gear instead of your brakes to give you more control going downhill
- Conversely, use a higher gear to start, and low revs. Moving off gently in 2nd gear with as little power as possible means you are less likely to lose traction.
And if you’re a company car manager, have a mind for your duty of care. Don’t pressurise workers to drive in dangerous conditions, and make sure that your company cars are ready for the weather – tyres in good order in particular.
* The research was conducted last weekend by Opinium Research among 2103 adults.
