Majority of drivers say they adjust their driving style – but
most say they still need to drive during wintry
conditions
RAC and Met Office urge drivers to heed weather warnings,
prepare their cars and take precautions to stay safe
Four-in-10 drivers (39%) would still get behind the wheel
regardless of the amount of snow on the roads, despite
three-in-10 saying they’ve lost control of their cars in snow and
scared themselves, a survey of 2,300 drivers by the RAC has
found.*
With weather warnings for snow and ice in place until at least
Saturday, the research illustrates the extent to which snow and
ice can affect drivers’ use of their cars, with most still using
their vehicles for trips they regard as essential: 68% say they
continue to drive during yellow Met Office warnings, a figure
that falls only slightly to 63% during more serious amber ones.
One-in-10 (9%) of drivers say they choose not to drive during
yellow warnings, a figure that rises to 22% during times of amber
warnings.
Fortunately, a clear majority – three-in-four drivers (75%) – say
they drive much more cautiously whenever there is snow on the
roads, with just 1% stating they would not adjust their driving
style to take account of the conditions. A cautious one-in-10
drivers (11%), meanwhile, say they don’t drive at all if there is
any snow on the roads.
During the current cold snap, the RAC is reminding drivers to
check their vehicles and adjust their driving styles according to
the conditions, and not take any risks that put them and their
passengers in danger.
The RAC also asked drivers to rate their local council when it
comes to ‘gritting’ (spreading salt) on the roads on icy
nights. Just half of respondents (51%) described their
local authority as ‘very good’ or ‘good’, while 36% said they are
‘fair’ and 12% ‘poor’. Drivers are much less satisfied with
council performance when it comes to clearing the roads after a
particularly snowy spell, however – just 24% rated their local
authority ‘very good’ or ‘good’, 40% fair and 27% poor. One-in-10
drivers (9%) had no experience of seeing their council clearing
roads after snowfall, however.
RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: “We know from
long-running RAC studies that the vast majority of drivers – a
consistent eight-in-10 – are heavily reliant on their cars,
something that’s exacerbated when the weather turns icy or snowy,
especially if public transport is impacted and drivers have no
choice but to use their cars for trips they consider
essential. Doing so can carry huge risks however, and it’s
vitally important drivers follow guidance from the Met Office and
others accordingly whenever there is a warning for severe weather
issued – especially if it is an amber or even rare red warning.
Waiting until conditions improve might well be the safest and
best course of action.
“If a driver has made the decision that it is safe to set out in
snow and ice, it’s important drivers always check their cars
and adjust their driving styles to cope with whatever wintry
conditions are thrown at them. A car’s braking distance can
increase by up to 10 times when there’s snow and ice on a road,
meaning it’s vital to check all tyres have plenty of tread and
slow down considerably to reduce the chances of a collision.
“Councils have an incredibly important part to play when it comes
to preparing the roads during cold snaps, so it’s good to see a
relatively small number of drivers rate their local authority’s
gritting services as poor. On the other hand, drivers seem much
less satisfied with their council’s ability to clear
accumulations of snow, but fortunately that’s something that’s
not needed very often across most of the UK.
“Come rain or shine, our patrols are out attending breakdowns and
the fastest way to access help is by using the Rescue function on
the myRAC app.”
Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said: "It's vital people
take precautions to stay safe in severe weather. Our weather
warnings highlight when people could be impacted by the weather
and there are a number of things people can do to minimise
disruption, including checking travel plans, ensuring vehicles
are safe as well as making sure your house is prepared for severe
weather.
"Winter weather hazards like snow and ice can be particularly
impactful on travel conditions, so it's always best to check the
travel advice in your area before setting off on journeys when
severe weather is in the forecast."
The RAC website carries advice on driving safely in wintry
weather: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/winter-driving/
Ends
Notes to Editors
* Research conducted on RAC’s behalf by Online95 among 2,300
UK motorists, all of whom drive at least once a month, in January
2023
