Driving on ICE

Despite an unseasonable start to the year in most parts of the UK, temperatures are predicted to drop in many places.

Icy roads are always a danger during the winter months, especially as it is sometimes a hidden danger in fog or darkness.

This week’s tips give advice on how to deal with driving on ice, from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards Richard Gladman.

• Only drive if it is really necessary. In very bad weather it is better to stay in or take public transport rather than risk an accident. Always check the weather and road conditions on your route before setting off
• Make sure you know how the demister settings on your car work and how to adjust them properly
• Never pour hot water on the windscreen as the sudden temperature change may cause cracks. Prevention is better than cure, so if possible cover the glass overnight with cardboard or an old sheet to prevent freezing, or invest in a windscreen cover. Adding boiling water or heating up a key can melt plastic components in modern car locks so be gentle when it comes to warming them up or use a squirt of de-icer
• If you haven’t done so already, get an antifreeze check at your local garage or fast-fit centre. Keep your washer bottle topped up with an even stronger concentration of de-icer
• It might sound like old advice, but you need to triple or quadruple the distance from other cars in front of you in icy conditions. If a car has to stop suddenly or  an accident occurs, you will need that extra time to react and stop

Richard said: “As ever preparation and planning are the key to worry-free driving when the mercury plummets. Plan your route carefully as major routes are likely to be treated with salt and less likely to be icy although this might still form in dips and on bridges. Leave more time for your journey. Respect the conditions and don’t expect your journey to take the same amount of time as normal. Factor in delays and give yourself plenty of time to clear the ice properly from all the windows of your car. A crystal clear view will give you the best chance of surviving the arctic blast.”

The Good Garage Scheme would like to to thank IAM RoadSmart for this week's reminder on safe driving in the winter.

For a Winter Check on your vehicle, visit your nearest Good Garage Scheme member garage here.

Don't Lose Your Grip on Salty Roads

As the Met Office issues yellow weather warnings of ice and snow for much of the country, roads are expected to be gritted to prevent snow from settling. The IAM’s chief examiner, Peter Rodger, is offering advice to motorists to cope better with driving on road surfaces that have been recently treated.

If weather conditions are severe in your area, you should take notice of police advice and simply not travel. However, in the exceptional circumstances where this is unavoidable, make sure you drive safely and with extra caution on icy roads.

Salt will often make the windscreen, headlights, number plate and rear parts of your car very dirty. Cars without headlamp washers, for example, will lose an estimated 40% of luminosity, and possibly all their focus in about 20 miles on a damp, gritted motorway. When travelling long distances it is advised that you stop regularly at service stations to clean your windscreen and headlights with a clean cloth. Or keep a filled litre or two of water in the car boot to give your lights, windows and mirrors a quick wash over – a handy investment to top-up your windscreen washer reservoir when needed too.

When driving on a busy road, avoid overtaking a gritting lorry as the road ahead may not be treated yet. If you have any doubt, don’t risk it. Never overtake a snow plough in heavy snow conditions.
While roads may be gritted to give you better traction some areas may not be completely treated, leaving ice patches exposed. You should therefore drive at a steady pace – ensuring the safety of you and your passengers.

It’s important that you keep your car clean throughout the winter as the salt in grit can cause external damage such as corrosion to any exposed suspension parts. Ensure that you thoroughly wash the underside of your car when you can to stop salt from settling.

Don’t forget to wash/rinse alloy wheels too; the smallest scratch can quickly become a large rust patch.

Rodger said: “Preparation is the key to avoiding a dangerous situation whilst driving in snowy or icy conditions. Don’t rely on the performance of your car systems to get you out of trouble – allow time, make sure you have good visibility all round and carry the right equipment.”

Peter Rodger is the IAM’s chief examiner
The IAM is the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, dedicated to improving standards and safety in driving and motorcycling. The commercial division of the IAM operates through its occupational driver training company IAM Drive & Survive. The IAM has more than 200 local volunteer groups and over 100,000 members in the UK and Ireland. It is best known for the advanced driving test and the advanced driving and motorcycling courses. Its policy and research division offers advice and expertise on road safety.
  

The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank the IAM for this week's welcome advice and would also like to add that motorists can download the Free Good Garage Scheme App before setting off in case they do run into any trouble.

What's in your favourite Christmas drink?

Did you know a glass of mulled wine contains the same calories as three pieces of chocolate orange?

Whilst Christmas is all about enjoying yourself, it’s important to keep an eye on what you’re drinking during the festivities so that you don’t regularly exceed the daily unit guidelines and put on any extra Christmas plump in the process.

Here is a handy guide to some popular Christmas drinks to help you stay within the guidelines and stop you from piling on the pounds.

Champagne
Units: 1.5 units in a 125ml glass
Calories: 89
Equivalent to: 2 pigs in blankets

Sherry
Units: 0.9 units in a small (50ml) thimble glass (17.5% strength)
Calories: 77
Equivalent to: small slice of chocolate log

Mulled wine
Units: 2.3 units in a 175ml glass
Calories: 134
Equivalent to: three pieces of chocolate orange

Irish cream liqueur (Baileys etc)
Units: 0.9 units in 50ml measure
Calories: 175
Equivalent to: two mini mince pies

Brandy
Units: One per (25ml) measure of 40% brandy
Calories: 61
Equivalent to: 3 cocktail sausages

If none of the above are your usual tipple and you'd like to know how many units and calories are in other alcoholic drinks, this unit calculator has all the information you need.

Still not sure about alcohol units? Watch this short video from Drinkaware.

 based on an average adult

This blog has been written with permission from Drinkaware, an independent charity working to  reduce alcohol misuse and harm in the UK.

The Good Garage Scheme would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season.

If you are drinking alcohol,
please do not drive. 
It is not worth the risk.

THINK! before you Drink & Drive

According to THINK!, the campaign run by the Department for Transport, in the last 30 years road casualties caused by drink driving have fallen dramatically. In 2011, however, there were still 230 deaths due to drink driving – accounting for 12% of all road fatalities. By drinking and driving, you risk your life, those of your passengers and others on the road.

Any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive. You risk a fine of up to £5,000, a minimum 12-month driving ban and a criminal record.

This year THINK! warns motorists of the dangers of driving the "morning after". Contrary to what a lot of people believe, sleep and coffee do not always sober you up after a night of drinking.

It takes a lot longer than most people think for alcohol to pass through the body.
On average it takes around one hour per unit of alcohol, though this can vary depending on weight, build, and gender.

Because of this, there is a real risk that people who would not dream of driving after drinking may still be unwittingly over the drink-drive limit the morning after.

This includes people going about everyday activities such as driving to work, doing the school run, popping to the shops or to see friends.


Here are a couple of facts about drink driving and the ‘morning after’:
• In 2012, 290 people were killed in drink-drive accidents in Great Britain (17% of all reported road fatalities), an increase of around a quarter compared with 2011 (DfT provisional figures).

• In 2011 more people failed breath tests between the hours of 6 am and 11 am than during the hour before or after midnight (ACPO).

We're not saying 'don't drink', but we are saying 'don't drink anything if you are driving' and 'don't drink heavily if you have to drive the following morning'.

Use our 'morning after calculator' to see how long it takes for alcohol to pass through the body.

The Good Garage Scheme would like to wish everyone a safe holiday season. Don't forget to charge your phone and download the Good Garage Scheme's free app before you travel in case you need to contact a garage.