PAPER making! FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TE Volume 7, Number 3, 2021
Safely driving home for Christmas We’re on the downward slope to Christmas, hopefully your shopping is done, presents are wrapped and under the tree and you’ve sent out all your Christmas cards. N ow all that’s left is to finish the last few days at work and you’re free for the holidays. There’s no denying it, Christmas is a busy time of the year, there are more vehicles on the road, people will be in a hurry and the road conditions are likely not to be the best, with gritters out in force and the likelihood that the weather is not going to be warm and sunny (unless you’re in the Southern Hemisphere) is strong. Taking all of these factors into account, it’s incredibly important t hat you take care when you are visiting friends and family. In this article we’re going to look at the best ways for you to keep safe on the roads and ensure you arrive at your Christmas destination (wherever that may be) safely. How to drive safely during the winter As with anything, whether it’s making a cake or going on a journey, preparation is key. Having a checklist will make this even easier. Check the weather In the UK, we’re known for our weather. It’s become a global joke that a key topic of English smalltalk is our unpredictable and changeable weather conditions. One day it can be sunny and warm and the next a torrential downpour. That goes double for the winter with the weather becoming less conducive to safe driving conditions, with wind, rain, hail, sleet and snow all possible in a single day. It’s for that reason it’s vital you check the weather forecast regularly when planning to travel, especially if you’re going on a longer journey. If you’re thinking about visiting family over the Christmas period , then you should always check the weather not only of your home location, but also your intended destination. It may well be sunny and warm where you are in the South of England, but get a couple of hundred miles North of the Watford Gap and you could be faced with two feet of snow and a storm! Plan your journey The roads are busy all year round, but come Christmas, it can seem as though the roads are even busier, because they are. This increased number of vehicles on the road can cause congestion and sometimes lead to accidents, which can cause further congestion and delays. It’s vital that you plan your journey in advance, to ensure that you take the best route possible and, maybe even have a secondary route as a back-up. We recommend that you do a search using local and national council websites and the Highways England website to find out about planned roadworks or road closures that may affect you on your travels. Carrying out your planning a few days in advance will give you time to find an alternative route, should it be necessary. Things can change in a matter of moments, so it’s a very good idea to check the traffic situation a few hours before you leave, ensuring that nothing that could impact on your journey has occurred. Also, make sure that you have set your radio to interrupt your in-car entertainment when traffic updates are on. Many sat-nav systems get live traffic updates and will reroute you accordingly. It may seem, sometimes, that these suggested routes are going to take you longer, or via a route that looks as though it’s going to take you down unfamiliar roads. However, the chances are the sat-nav is leading you via a quicker, alternative route, so we recommend you follow the instructions it gives you.
Article 12 – Safe Driving Tips
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