Travel

The AA's general advice for driving in snow or ice is as follows:

Stopping distances are ten times longer in ice and snow.

Gentle manoeuvres are the key to safe driving in heavy snow. Use all the car's controls - accelerator, brakes, clutch and steering - as gently and progressively as possible. Select second gear when pulling away, easing your foot off the clutch gently to avoid wheel-spin. Try to maintain a constant speed, choosing the most suitable gear in advance to avoid having to change down while climbing a hill. When driving downhill, choose third or fourth gear to prevent skidding.

Wear comfortable, dry shoes: cumbersome, snow-covered boots will slip on the pedals.

Carry an ice-scraper, de-icer, food, hot flask, blanket and a warning triangle in the car.

If you do get stuck, straighten the steering and clear the snow from the wheels. Put a sack or old rug in front of the driving wheels to give the tyres some grip. Once on the move again, try not to stop until you reach firmer ground.

Clear snow from the roof as well as from windows. Snow piled up on the roof can fall onto the windscreen obscuring your view and can also be a hazard to other road users. You could be fined up to £2,500 and receive three penalty points if the police consider your car a danger to other road users.

Keep to main roads as they are more likely to be gritted and will be patrolled by police.

Never let other speeding drivers lull you into a false sense of security.

Only drive as fast as conditions allow.

If local conditions are particularly bad, be prepared to wait a little longer for assistance from the breakdown organisations, as cases have to be prioritised.