Winter travel advice

When considering driving in bad weather, you should always ask yourself if you really need to go at all?

Please take care when driving in winter

If the answer is yes, and your vehicle is in good condition then you should take a few minutes before you leave to ensure there are no problems on your intended route.

It is impossible to treat all roads at once, so we have adopted an order of priority treatment to keep traffic moving.

Plan ahead

Make sure:

• to listen to Radio Borders or the BBC for weather updates - both radio stations broadcast local road reports and weather information
• before you leave, make a friend or relative aware you will be travelling - preferable someone at your destination
• to give yourself plenty of time: leave earlier and don't hurry - better late than not at all
• you have enough petrol
• your mobile phone is fully charged, but do not use your phone while driving
• you have your emergency car kit.

Always ensure that all snow or ice is removed from your vehicle and do not try to drive with only a small area of your frosty windscreen cleared. This is not only dangerous - it is also an offence.

You can also follow our Twitter feed - but don't use this while driving.

Your journey

Drive according to road conditions. When visibility is poor, you must drive with your lights on and consider having dipped headlights on all the time to ensure you are seen by other drivers, and:

• slow down - excessive speed at any time is dangerous but even more so in winter
• keep a safe distance behind other vehicles
• watch other road users carefully and think ahead in case they suddenly run into difficulty.

Remember, even if the road is mostly dry, there can be places such as under trees where it can be wet and slippery without warning.

Pedestrians may be walking on the roadway when the paths are difficult to use.
and ensure they give themselves plenty of braking space and steer well clear when passing.

Ice and snow

At night, if you can see the stars, it's probably freezing. Dawn and soon afterwards is also a dangerous time. If your tyres stop making a noise on the road surface, this could mean you're driving on ice. This means everything you do must be done slowly:

• stay in as a high gear as possible - make smooth gentle movements with your steering, accelerator and brakes
• avoid braking if possible - if you have to brake, use short, even applications - not heavy sustained pressure on the pedal
• take special care crossing bridges.

Snow ploughs bring their own hazards:

• don't overtake a snow plough - the blade may be invisible in the snow and the road ahead won't be clear
• drive well back from snow ploughs
• you may see a cloud of snow before the snow plough lights as it approaches you from the other direction - stay slow and keep well over to your side of the road.
  

Caught in snow - what can you do?

Getting caught out in severe snow can have serious consequences. So, again, if you can, stay at home.

If you do get stuck in snow:

• don't continue to drive and spinning your wheels. The snow around the tyre will melt and re-freeze, lessening your chances of escape
• you could try digging away at the snow with your shovel from your kit - or putting down salt if you have some. You can even put your car mats out under the wheels to help you get out
• you may be able to rock the car out. Reverse, then quickly change gear and drive forwards. Repeat this, using the car's momentum to break free of the slick spot.

If these tips don't work, you will need to arrange assistance. Do not leave your vehicle causing an obstruction. If you leave your vehicle in a remote area, inform the police to avoid time wasted searching for occupants of abandoned vehicles.