Essex Police warn the public about the dangers of icy weather
With temperatures falling below freezing, Essex Police is advising people to take note of the cold conditions before venturing outside
Last updated 12th Dec 2022
With December 25 just around the corner, we may actually get a White Christmas. But while everyone is encouraged to enjoy the festive period, it's important to do so in a safe and sensible manner.
In an interview with Greatest Hits Radio Essex, Roads Policing Inspector, Matt Crow, explained why we need to drive safely and make sure our vehicles are heated appropriately.
"If you've taken ten-15 minutes to de-ice your car, that should be a warning that you really need to measure your speed, because roads are slippery. Parts of the road can be more slippery than others, in what we call micro-climates, where something like an overhanging tree might not allow one part of the road to defrost as quickly as another area of the road."
He added: "It's really important, that when you're out driving, you keep your car warm. If you're on a journey, make sure you've got enough fuel. We saw last night, on the M25 and the M11, people were running out of fuel. Cars get really cold very quickly without the heater on. So it's important that before you set off, you've got fuel for the journey, and a little bit more just in case you get caught in these wintery conditions."
In addition, following the incident in Solihull in which three children lost their lives after falling through the ice, Crow has stressed that the public should stay away from frozen lakes.
He emphasised: "The advice from police and all emergency services is, it might look really pretty, It might look like you can skate on some ice in a pond or a lake, but it doesn't get cold enough for that to be safe in this country. So avoid that at all costs."
With Christmas just a matter of days away, The officer concluded by encouraging everyone to spare a thought for other people.
"Pedestrians are vulnerable road users, people on horses, people on bicycles, we need to pay attention to those people. We should be mindful that people are thinking of other things at this time of the year, rushing around getting Christmas presents and so on. And actually, the car is no longer King and other people are just as important."