Road Safety, Cycling and Sustainable Transports
Road Safety Advice
Tips for pedestrians and drivers in snow and ice:
The following is some advice and guidelines to help prevent slips, trips or falls while walking on ice or snow.
- Wear footwear with good grips and traction
- Take short steps or shuffle for stability
- Don’t walk with your hands in your pockets
- Take extra care on steps or inclines
- Avoid walking on the road or street
- Don’t cross between parked vehicles
- Use controlled crossings where provided
- Be Bright – Wear Bright – Be Visible
Tips for drivers before and during journeys:
While the council’s grit or salt many roads in the county, the crews are restricted in how many and what road types are treated. Although a road may have been gritted, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should drive in the same manner as if it was a dry road. Driving on all roads in these conditions should be treated with extra care and caution, regardless of whether the road was treated or not.
- Clear your vehicle of all snow, frost or ice. (This includes the windscreen, rear and side windows, front and rear lights and indicators.)
- Remove any snow from the roof of your vehicles as this is likely to fall forward when thawed or if you break, resulting in snow blocking your vision.
- Its always a good idea to have your windscreen washer dispenser full or topped up in these conditions. Tip: Fill up your windscreen water bottle the evening before, so you don’t need to do it the following cold and frosty morning!
- Ensure your vision is clear from all sides
- Drive over any ice or compacted snow carefully and be more aware of your stopping distances.
- Driving slowly in a high gear will help your tyres maintain grip even as your tyres move over the compacted ice or snow. Accelerate and brake very gently and drive particularly slow on bends.
- Avoiding sudden stops or severe turns of the steering wheel.
- Approach junctions slowly, allowing you enough time to stop without skidding.
- In heavy falls of snow or dense fog, its an idea to wind-down your window and listen for any oncoming traffic before you move from a junction.
- Don’t drive so close to the vehicle in front, or ‘on their tail-lights’, as this gives you a false sense of security, reduced space and visibility and if the driver ahead breaks suddenly, you have nowhere to go! Increase your distance from the vehicle in front.
- Always use dipped headlights.
Be mindful of pedestrians and cyclists as they will be moving much slower and you need to allow them added space and time.
Motorway Driving