Winter Driving Stats Revealed

It seems as though people in Yorkshire & the Humber are NOT happy on the roads when the snow falls or the temperature drops below zero. Yorkshire law firm Irwin Mitchell have done a survey to find out how we cope driving in winter weather. Neil Whiteley, a Partner in the Serious Injury team at the company said: "Across the winter months we have seen a significant rise in the number of enquiries involving accidents on the roads, and while this isn’t solely related to the weather, it is clearly important that drivers take more care on the roads at this time of year. "Our research shows that many people are not taking the appropriate precautions when driving in bad weather, despite admitting that they are not confident in those conditions. There is plenty of sound guidance available from road safety and motoring organisations, including Brake and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, about preparing for journeys in poor weather. "We see on a daily basis the impact accidents have on people lives – serious injuries can be life-changing with people left needing 24-hour care and rehabilitation for the rest of their lives. "We urge all drivers to consider the responsibility they have to other road users when they get behind the wheel or get on their bikes. Taking a few extra minutes to make sure you are ready for the journey, or setting off that little bit earlier so you don’t have to rush could make a huge difference to others and help cut the number of accidents occurring." One in five people admitted to driving when their windscreen still hadn’t demisted while a quarter head off with their rear window still fogged up. Many people may be unaware that driving with even partly obscured windows or lights is a contravention of road traffic regulations.