Worst Conditions to Drive in and How to Deal With Them

Motoring is a tricky enough business without all the hazards and inconveniences that mother nature throws at us. Bad driving conditions are not only a pain but are potentially very dangerous. There are a few simple precautions and preparations you can put in place to ensure your safety while you ride out these bad conditions.

This is a simple overview of some of the very worst driving conditions and basic advice on how to tackle them.

Ice

Ice is probably the worst and most dangerous hazard that the weather can throw at us drivers, particularly black ice which is almost impossible to spot. If you are planning to drive during icy conditions an important tip is to check your brakes are in top condition before you even set off. It’s important to stay aware of ice even when you think it’s melted as icy patches could still be lurking around in areas of the road which are not very exposed to sunlight, in tunnels or under bridges for example.

Traffic Jams

Most of the worst driving conditions that we will face unsurprisingly occur in the winter months but traffic jams are an all year round problem. When volume of traffic slows you down, its very easy to get angry and het up, but its very important to stay calm and relaxed, getting yourself stressed out wont help the situation in any way, it could even cause you to make rash decisions which could potentially result in an accident.

Remain cautious, even while your creeping along at snail pace, you still need to make sure that you are completely alert and aware of your surroundings, mainly other drivers.

Blizzards

A light snow shower is one thing but when there’s a constant flow of heavy snow it can make driving extremely difficult and potentially dangerous. The most important piece of advice for driving in heavy snow is to simply slow down and stay very alert. If you feel that the snow is getting too much it’s a much better idea to pull over somewhere safe and make other arrangements rather than battle on and get into a dangerous situation.

Extreme Rain

Rain is all too common here in the UK and most of us will have to drive in it many times in an average year, which means most of us will find it easy to cope in a quick sharp shower or a steady drench, but the danger lies in the occasions where rain can become extremely severe and can cause very limited visability and an extremely high risk of aquaplaning. The safest advice is to simply go steady, make sure there is a good amount of distance between you and the vehicle in front and to avoid sharp turns.

General Advice

Keeping up to date with the latest weather forecast and traffic information before you even set off on a journey, if the conditions are very extreme its worth considering whether its even worth taking the journey and whether it could be put off until another time.

Always travel with an emergency kit, keep one in your car at all times to be on the safe side.

Make sure your car is safe and up for severe driving conditions, before setting off on a journey make sure you clear any snow or ice from your car, and check that your lights, brakes and wiper blades are in good working condition.

It’s important to know that different cars handle weather conditions differently. Generally 4×4 cars are the most reliable for most weather conditions. It’s important to research these things before thinking of purchasing a car.

If you get involved in any kind of accident and damage your vehicle then please contact us here at Car Body Guard. We are a team of highly trained professionals that specialise in car body repairs.