Highways Agency

Don't be that Guy this winter

You know the person we’re talking about. The one who caused a two-hour tailback because they broke down in the middle of the road. Or the one that cut you up on the motorway because he almost missed his exit. How about the one who ran out of petrol on that bitterly cold night with you in the car?

We’ve all been the giver or receiver of the disapproving headshake or the angry fist, and as winter sets in and the nights get darker, and the amount of traffic on our roads escalates, it seems we’re either one or the other on a daily basis.

During the freezing season, the Highways Agency does its best to keep the roads clear of ice and snow, so you can carry on with your journey and stay out of harm’s way. But keeping your stress levels down, and ensuring your safety can’t only be their responsibility.

 The ‘Don’t be that guy’ campaign aims to help all drivers by reminding them of a few simple steps they could take that could make their journeys this winter easier and a little less frustrating for everyone.

The 'Don't be that Guy'  winter campaign posters are also available to download (1.6MB PDF)

Plan your journey

Check your car, weather reports and journey planning sites like Traffic England before setting off, or call the Highways Agency’s automated telephone service on 08700 660 115*. If you have a DAB digital radio or the internet, you can even listen to the latest traffic information on Traffic Radio.

Checking the conditions before you leave sounds like a ‘no-brainer’, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t. Which can lead to you getting lost, stuck in bad weather, caught in traffic or causing traffic, ultimately adding hours onto your journey, and potentially everyone else’s.  

Don’t forget to plan in a break if you are taking a long journey. At selected motorway service areas, you can check the conditions of the road ahead on a Highways Agency Information Point. These have up-to-the-minute information directly from the National Traffic Control Centre.

Check and service your car regularly

Regularly servicing and checking your car for things like low anti-freeze and screen wash levels, worn wiper blades, a flat battery, dim light bulbs and the correct tyre pressure and depth of tread, will reduce your chances of getting into trouble and breaking down on the road, which will reduce your chances of causing a hold-up, which will reduce other drivers’ desire to stick their heads out of their windows and shout at you. Put simply, making sure your car is always in good shape will make for a better day for everyone.

Always carry an emergency kit

If you haven’t got an emergency kit in your car, you’re tempting fate. Anything could happen at any time which could result in you being stuck in your car for ages, from a severe weather event to a road closure due to an accident. You need to be prepared for any eventuality this winter.

Your emergency kit should contain a map, battery jump leads, a torch, a warning triangle, an ice scraper and de-icer, a first-aid kit, food and water and warm clothes. And in case of seriously bad weather, a shovel, a pair of boots, a blanket, and any relevant medication you might need. How about you gather it all together, pack it in a bag and put it in your boot today? 

Change the way you drive

Bad weather can make us bad drivers. Most of us have seen somebody skid or spin their car in wet conditions - it suddenly seems that people don’t seem to know their left from their right. Winter’s where our weather’s at its worst, so we really need to pay extra special attention to what we’re doing on the road. Here are some tips to help you:

Driving through fog

Use dipped headlights so other drivers can see you. If there’s less than 100m visibility, switch your fog lights on. Remember fog is often patchy, so don’t speed up as visibility improves until you are absolutely sure you’re out of it.

Driving through ice and snow

Remove snow from the roof of your vehicle as it can slip down over the windscreen and obscure your view.

If your tyres are making virtually no noise, you could be driving on ice.

If your vehicle starts to skid, turn the steering wheel into the direction of the skid and when your vehicle straightens, steer along the road.

Do not brake! It’ll lock up your wheels and you’ll skid further.

Driving in the rain

Wet roads are slippery and it can take up to 10 times longer to stop. So, drop your speed, and give yourself as much time and space as possible to slow down and stop.

If your vehicle loses its grip on surface water (aquaplanes), take your foot off the accelerator to slow down. Don’t brake or steer suddenly, because you have no control of either.  

Driving in windy weather

High-sided vehicles are particularly affected by windy weather, but strong gusts can blow a vehicle, cyclist or motorcyclist off course. This happens most commonly on open stretches of road exposed to strong crosswinds, or when passing bridges and high-sided vehicles.

Floods

If you can avoid it, don’t drive through lying surface water, as you could easily damage your engine. If you do have to, use first gear and move forward immediately to avoid stalling the engine. Keep your revs high and depress your clutch when you need to.

Remember that the deepest water is usually nearest the kerb. Always test your brakes after passing through the water.  

These things happen

Despite all the best-laid plans, things do go wrong. Roads can be closed for all sorts of reasons including accidents or weather-related incidents especially in winter.

If you do find yourself on a stretch of motorway that has been closed for a period of time, the Highways Agency has a number of ways to help you.

The Highways Agency feeds local radio stations information about what’s happening on our roads. Tune in by pressing the “TA” button on your radio for up-to-the-minute updates or if you’ve got digital radio tune to the Agency’s own Traffic Radio, that’ll help you make an informed decision about the best way forward.

The Highways Agency aims to provide real-time information on Variable Message Signs (VMS), which will give you instructions on what to do if you find yourself in queues on the road.

In the event of an incident on the road, Traffic Officers and Incident Support Unit operatives will be aware of any contingency plans that might have been put in place. Stay in your car and listen to their instructions to ensure you know what to do, as they’re there to help.

Always remember, a traffic free road is a happy place for everyone. Travel safe this winter and don’t be that guy.

*Calls from BT landlines to 0845 numbers will cost no more than 4p per minute and to 0870 numbers no more than 8p per minute, mobile calls usually cost more. Please check with your service provider.