Motorway driving is something that can be more difficult in the winter. The weather conditions that winter brings with it, such as snow and ice, fog and heavy rain all mean that driving can be more difficult and risky in the winter, and motorways will also often be a lot busier around the festive season, as people travel to see family or take a holiday.
Being safe on the motorway and understanding motorway driving is important all year around, but in the winter, it is particularly important that you are aware of the rules and regulations as well as how to be safe on the motorway.
There are things that you might see on the motorway, and you should be familiar with what they are and what they mean – for example, chapter 8 chevrons will be seen on vehicles which may need to stop on the motorway, such as breakdown vehicles or traffic management vehicles.
Nowadays there are also smart motorways in many places around the UK, and it is really important that you familiarise yourself with the rules on these parts of the motorway, as they do differ from the normal motorways in many ways.
If you are going to be travelling on the motorway in the winter, it is very important that you check your vehicle thoroughly before heading off for your journey. This will help you to stay safe and reduce the risk of breaking down on the motorway too, as you will be able to spot a problem with the vehicle before you set off.
The tyres are a really important part of the car in the winter, and many people put winter tyres on the car in order to make sure that they have a good grip on the road. Water, snow and ice all can make gripping the road more difficult at this time of the year, which is why making sure that your tyres are in good condition is important.
You should also check the basics like the water and the oil in the car before you set off on a long journey, and the windscreen for signs of damage like chips, as the grit that comes up off the road in the winter can cause damage to the windscreen of a car.