Driving Tips

The increasing sunshine hours  can give the impression winter is gone and so are the treacherous driving conditions.  However, Spring can also be a challenging time to drive!

• Check and replace wiper blades as the icy winter may have damaged your wiper blades
• Clean your windscreen inside and out
• After a long winter, its certainly good to see the sun again, but being greeted by a very low sun during  rush hour can seriously reduce the visibility of you and other drivers.
• The heavy winter weather can take its toll on our roads and create new potholes.  Spring showers can then fill them with water making them more difficult to see.  Hit a pothole at high speed and it can cause substantial damage such as punctured tyres, bent wheels rims, suspension damage and poor alignment.
• The two second rule describes what is regarded as a safe following distance on the open road.  At 100km/h, those two seconds equate to 55m of travel.  At 50 km/hr, its 27.5m.  Double that for wet conditions and reduce your speed as you approach intersections and roundabouts.
• Driver reaction time, road conditions, tyre condition, reduced visibility and vehicle capability can all increase stopping distance.  Slow down in the wet and increase following distances because tyre contact patches are less effective, and those of worn tyres especially so.