Driving in extreme weather conditions

February 5, 2019

Over the past few weeks, the weather has been unpredictable and created hazardous conditions on the road.

These extreme conditions make driving dangerous and require special safety precautions. Your safety is important to us, as your livelihood is being on the roads, please observe these safety tips when driving turns difficult.

Rain and Thunderstorms

• Turn your taxis headlights, wipers and demister on to increase visibility.
• Drive in the tracks of the vehicle ahead of you and reduce your speed.
• Allow increased space between your taxi and others, and leave extra time to stop.
• If you are caught in a thunderstorm, pull off the road in an open area and away from trees (to avoid a lightning strike).

Winter Weather

• Always remove ice and snow from your windows, bonnet and headlights before departing.
• Drive with extreme caution and at slow speeds. You will need 3 to 12 times the amount of stopping distance than you need without precipitation.
• If possible, avoid bridges and flyovers since they freeze first.
• Do not brake quickly as you may spin out of control.
• If you should get stuck, straighten your wheels and accelerate at a slow pace.

Fog

• Slow down before you reach a patch of fog in front of you.
• Use only your low beams or fog lights, and put on your de-mister and windscreen wipers to increase visibility.
• If the fog is extremely thick, roll down all of your windows to hear other vehicles around you.
• If you cannot see the road’s edge, pull off on the right and put on your hazard warning lights. Do not start driving again until you can see.

In the event of an accident or a breakdown, make sure you are fully protected with the correct taxi insurance. Give us a call on 0333 200 0071 for a quote on your public or private hire insurance.