Miscellaneous- driving for work – Tips for a safer winter behind the wheel

To make sure you stay safe on the roads this winter, fleet risk-management solutions provider, Interactive Driving Systems, offers the following advice:

• Before you drive – keep yourself and your vehicle in good technical repair to reduce your overall chances of any mishap or disaster while driving in winter weather; prepare your vehicle for winter driving by giving it a complete check-up, and keep your fuel tank near to full to ensure that you do not run out; make sure your tyres are in good order by checking them weekly, or when refuelling; carry an emergency kit for your car in case you get stranded in adverse weather; listen to weather forecasts and, if the weather and visibility are hazardous, ask yourself ‘is this trip really necessary?’
• On the road – drive according to current road and weather conditions, making sure that all windows and mirrors are clear and that wipers and defrosters are in good working condition; and drive slowly with low-beam headlights on if visibility is poor, test your brakes frequently, leave a bigger gap and never tailgate.
• If the worst happens – if you get stranded, don’t panic. Keep yourself safe, and follow the detailed procedures in your driver’s handbook if you are in a work vehicle; in your own vehicle you should contact the appropriate support organisation and follow their guidance.

For more detailed winter driving advice, visit www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk and www.brake.org.uk

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This eBook will guide you through some of the key understandings you need to be able to manage driver safety effectively and, at the end, provide a series of free resources you can access to help you ensure your own driver safety management system is robust, legally compliant and in line with industry-accepted good practice.

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