Vehicle Technology – The benefits and the risks during winter

13 November 2006

Wet roads, fog and freezing driving conditions are a recipe for disaster on Britain’s roads, so understanding how the raft of safety technology fitted to today’s cars can aid safe driving is essential.

Department for Transport road casualty figures reveal that November and December are the worst months for deaths and injuries on the UK’s roads.

Last year 319 people died on the roads in November and a further 310 people in December. That compares with 264 and 222 respectively in January and February. Meanwhile, 2,636 people were seriously injured in November last year on the roads and a further 2,456 in December – equivalent figures for January and February were 2,188 and 1,999 respectively.

In total, the winter months of November and December account for almost a fifth of all the 271,017 casualties on the country’s roads last year, compared with 15.4% for January and February.

There is much information available about how drivers can avoid getting caught out by the winter weather. Much of this information is ‘common sense’ and focuses mainly on thoughtful planning and preparation – the journey itself, the vehicle condition and preparing ‘for the worst’.

Jim Kirkwood, DriveTech’s managing director, said: “While this guidance is undoubtedly very valuable, it’s also important to understand how today’s vehicle technology may, or in some cases, may not be helpful when driving during the winter months"

As a result, DriveTech (UK) has put together 10 winter tips that focus on vehicle technology:

1.  Manual Gearbox; When it’s near freezing, pull away slowly with minimum engine revs and get into a higher gear as soon as possible. Keep your windows slightly open and if the road noise subsides, you’re probably on ice.
   
   
2. Automatic Gearbox; Vehicles fitted with automatic gearboxes should be driven with care on slippery or icy surfaces.  If the vehicle ‘kicks down’, there may be a tendency for the wheels to spin as the power becomes too great for the grip on the road. Wheel spin will be removed if traction control is operating.
   
   
3. All wheel drives (4x4); 4x4 drives, when engaged, offer significant benefits in winter conditions but the main contributing factor in maintaining grip on slippery roads is the quality of the tyre and depth of tread. However, as many of today’s 4x4 vehicles have extra height, there is potentially a higher risk of skidding when travelling through bends as the weight of the vehicle shifts.
   
   
4. Cruise Control; Avoid using cruise control in snow, ice or in standing water as wheel spin and skidding may occur due to the sudden loss of traction between the tyres and the road surface as the tyres spin faster than the speed of the car.
   
   
5. Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS); ABS maintains steering control during braking and manouvering, even in adverse weather conditions. However, stopping distances will increase if travelling on ice, mud, gravel, wet leaves, grass or snow as the brakes spend more time releasing than applying.
   
   
6. Electronic Traction Support (ETS); ETS is a valuable technology in winter conditions as it retards engine power and applies brakes to spinning drive wheels and allows a car to pull away smoothly even on very slippery surfaces.
   
   
7. Acceleration Skid Reduction (ASR) / Dynamic Stability Control (DSC); These systems help to prevent wheel spin when accelerating. However, it is usually recommended, when driving on ice or if snow chains are fitted, to turn these systems off to allow the driver to pull away. If they are not switched off, the engine can cut out as the system automatically retards the engine power and brakes spinning wheels.
   
   
8. Brake assist (BAS); BAS detects when the driver has reacted quicker and is braking heavier than normal and claims to reduce stopping distances by up to 1-2 car lengths at 70 mph.  BAS is unaffected by winter driving conditions.
   
   
9. Electronic Stability Programming (ESP); ESP is particularly valuable when driving in winter. Sensors pick up on body roll, steering input, acceleration and braking forces and makes fine adjustments to the brakes, accelerator and suspension to maintain vehicle control in harsh braking and steering manoeuvres. ESP is effective in maintaining better control in all types of weather conditions, but especially snow and ice.
   
   
10. Tyres socks; A recent new alternative to snow chains, or studded tyres, are temporary tyres socks. These are textile wheel covers with an elasticated edge that can be slipped over the driving wheels if you find yourself driving in snow conditions. In addition, there is no requirement to turn off any electronic traction and stability devices when using tyre socks.
    

Here are some additional winter checklists focusing on planning and preparation.

• Check the weather forecast
• Listen to travel bulletins.
• Is your journey really necessary?
• Is there another mode of transport available?
• Always plan an alternative route.
• Allow extra time for the journey.
• Ensure the vehicle is prepared
• Carry extra clothing, food and hot drinks, even a sleeping bag.
• Let friends or colleagues know your intended route.

• Check all fluid levels
• Ask your local garage to carry out an anti-freeze strength check. 
• Check the car’s battery
• Check for correct tyre pressures and good tread depth
• All glass (including mirrors) and number plates should be clean and free from snow or ice deposits
• Keep a good quality ice scraper and de-icer to hand
• Do not use hot water to melt ice on a windscreen

• A shovel for digging out of snow drifts.
• An anti-slip mat or carpet to help prevent wheel spin when pulling away.
• Wet and cold weather clothing, including gloves and hat.
• Extra de-icer and screen wash.
• Snow chains.
• Breakdown service phone numbers.
• Torch.
• Mobile phone
• Jump leads.
• Tow rope.
• Warning triangle.

EDITOR’S NOTES

DriveTech (UK) plc is a leading provider of ‘driving at work’ risk management, driver assessment and driver training solutions.

DriveTech (UK)’s goal is to reduce both an organisation’s vehicle business costs and the personal risk for ‘at work’ drivers, by significantly improving driver ABC - attitude, behaviour and competence - therefore supporting driver safety and corporate ‘duty of care’ requirements.

DriveTech (UK) has won the Institute of Transport Management’s ‘Fleet Award for Driver Training’ in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and its ‘European Driver Safety Specialist’ award in 2005.

For further information contact:
David Richards at DriveTech (UK) at david.richards@drivetech.co.uk or 01344 467271.