Driving in bad weather causes over a thousand injuries and four fatalities in the UK every year.
And, as well as the danger it poses, drivers could also be at risk of fines and license points if not driving correctly.
New research by tyre company ATS Euromaster has revealed a couple of little-known winter road rules - and one of them could land you a £1,000 fine and three points on your licence if it's not followed.
Keeping your air conditioning on while driving is vital during cold weather, as the outside conditions can cause the windows to steam up and obstruct your view.
Make sure you have your aircon on to make sure your visibility isn’t reduced, and you avoid a fine. Driving with misty windows could see you slapped with a fine and licence points.
With that in mind, here are a few other winter road rules that should be followed as the temperatures drop.
Clear your windows and lights
If the weather is snowy, drivers must make sure that their windows and lights are completely clear of snow before setting off on a journey.
This is a legal requirement, and driving with snow or ice blocking your view could result in a £60 fine and three points on your license.
Leave 10 times the recommended gap in snow and ice
According to the data from ATS Euromaster, well over half (60%) of drivers don’t know the recommended driving distance in snow and ice. When the roads are icy, they will inevitably be more slippery than usual, and braking distances can be 10 times more than on a dry road.
National Highways therefore advises to slow down and keep 10 times the normal recommended gap between you and the car in front. It also advises to drive particularly slowly around bends.
Only use fog lights if visibility is seriously reduced
Rule 236 of the Highway Code states: "You must not use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You must switch them off when visibility improves." But 60% of drivers did not know this to be true.
Worrying, one in five (21%) drivers think you should use your full beam headlights during fog, which can be very dangerous to others on the road.
Leave a gap of four seconds during heavy rain
National Highways says you should slow down and increase the gap between you and the vehicle in front to at least four seconds minimum during periods of heavy rainfall.
This is to allow for longer braking distances due to slippery roads. Over half (52%) of the drivers surveyed weren’t aware of this.
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