Free resources to support safe and legal winter driving

Driving for Better Business, a National Highways-led initiative to make business driving safer, is asking employers to ensure they have the right policies in place, all are aware of their responsibilities, and drivers are aware of additional weather-related risks.

The initiative has produced a range of free resources which can be downloaded from its website, including:

• An article to share with your drivers on seasonal driving and winter prep
• Short safety messages on winter driving to share with drivers on their devices
• Autumn and Winter Driving Posters for your staff noticeboards
• Information sheets from our Van Driver Toolkit and Car Driver Toolkit

There are some specific hazards in wet weather and managers and drivers should take steps to mitigate the associated risks, including:

• Stopping distances can be up to 10 times more than on a dry road
• High winds are a real challenge for high sided vehicles – they can literally be blown over on bridges for example
• Fog – go slower, hang back and make sure your fog lights are on
• Every season has its own risks – the additional cyclists in the Summer, slippery leaves in the Autumn, and ice in the Winter