The weather is likely to remain unsettled and very windy over the next few days so have some tips for driving in windy weather
- High-sided vehicles and caravans are most affected by high winds but sudden gusts can blow any vehicle off course. Be particularly aware of this on open stretches of road exposed to strong cross winds, or when passing bridges or gaps in hedges.
- In extreme windy weather, your vehicle may be affected by turbulence created by large vehicles, so keep well back from them and take extra caution when overtaking.
- Make sure, when driving in high winds that both hands are in the correct position on the wheel – a sudden gust of wind can seriously affect the vehicle’s stability and you will require maximum control to counter this.
- Controlling your speed is an important factor – reducing your speed will provide additional stability
- Watch out for debris such as branches blown onto the road. If you see twigs or small branches in the road there could easily be a tree or large branch in the road around the next bend. Hitting debris like this at speed could be fatal so it’s important to keep your speed down and drive with great care particularly on country roads early in the morning.
- If you break down on the motorway or on any busy road in gusty weather it’s important to bear in mind that lorries and other high-sided vehicles could be blown off course suddenly and may veer onto the hard shoulder. It’s safer to move to a safe location away from the vehicle rather than wait in the car to be rescued.
8th January, 2015
