Motorists ignoring winter weather risks
Monday 22 February 2010 Back to Blog
Van contract hire customers need to be more careful when driving in winter weather following the results of a new survey.
According to a study by Sainsbury's Car Insurance, 800,000 motorists admit to having an accident as a result of ignoring advice on driving in wintry conditions.
It found that a third (33 per cent) neglected to check weather forecasts before setting off on their journey while more than a quarter (27 per cent) did not fully clear their front and rear windscreen of frost and snow before driving.
Furthermore, around one in five (18 per cent) have ignored advice not to drive unless absolutely necessary during previous cold snaps.
The survey comes as the MET Office warns of further bad weather across much of the country in the coming week.
Ben Tyte, Sainsbury's Car Insurance manager, said: "UK motorists have a typically stoic approach to driving in wintry conditions, and if they start to become complacent and think the worst weather is behind them, they could increase their chances of having an accident in the coming days and weeks."
Last week, windscreen repair company Auto Windscreens warned there could be an increased risk of potholes causing damage to vehicles as a result of thawing ice on the roads.