The freezing weather has caused havoc on the roads, with accidents more likely due to the ice and snow causing surfaces, making it harder to break in time. Some places in the country have experienced temperatures as low as -6C, and with the Met Office issuing further yellow weather warnings for snow and ice, it's important to be careful if you're heading out on the road.
Knowing how to drive safely on snow and ice isn't exactly common sense, and sometimes you have to go against what your brain tells you to do. Motoring experts at Macklin Motors are now urging drivers to be wary of how they are driving in the cold weather – especially if they don't have winter tyres.
For example, when you're driving on snowy, ungritted roads, it might be tempting to follow your fellow drivers, thinking they've moved the snow out of the way for you. But according to the experts, the opposite is true.
One of the experts said: "The vehicles ahead of you haven't done you any favours by repeatedly compressing the snow and ice down, leaving dense black ice with next to no traction.
"Compacted ice is much more dangerous than fresh snow, so aim to drive just outside of tyre tracks while remaining safely in your lane to avoid skidding."
Another tip they shared was you should reduce your speed and leave more distance between other cars than you normally would. The experts also recommend you reduce your revs, which you can check by looking at your car's dashboard.
Doing this, as well as accelerating gradually and gently, is more safe than putting your foot down on the accelerator hard.
You might feel like putting your daytime lights on is one of the safest things you can do, but according to the experts, they don't always light up the back of your car, which is essential for driving through snowy and foggy conditions.
The experts said: "Instead, put your dipped headlights on to illuminate both the front and back of the car to keep you as safe and as visible as possible.
"It may seem counterintuitive against the frosty conditions, but sunglasses can also be a real godsend as they help to reduce low glare from the snow."
Another tip is to avoid bridges if you can, because they have little thermal contact with the ground, meaning they get colder and take longer to thaw.
Experts said: " If you haven't got winter tyres, have tyres that are old, or are starting to show minor wear and tear, your best bet is to avoid bridges during the worst of the snow and ice as you could be driving into hazardous conditions."
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