Road
safety

Drive SMART is a partnership between Surrey Police and Surrey County Council (including Surrey Fire and Rescue Service), with the aim of reducing road casualties, tackling anti-social driving and making the county's roads safer and less stressful for everyone. Visit www.drivesmartsurrey.org.uk for more Drive SMART information.    

Road accidents are the main cause of accidental death in the UK, but taking some simple precautions can help to keep you safe. 

Vehicle condition: It's the driver's legal responsibility to ensure that the vehicle they are driving is roadworthy and the driver would receive a fine and points on their licence if the vehicle had a defect. Regular checks should include fuel, lights, fluid levels, tyres and windscreen wipers. It's a good idea to carry spare bulbs and keep light lenses clean.

The area of tyre that is in contact with the road surface is about the size of a CD case, so it’s important that you check your tyres on a regular basis. Most tyres are now fitted with tread wear indicators that show how low that tread depth is.  The legal minimum tread depth for a car is 1.6mm across the centre three-quarters of the tyre, around the whole circumference.  In winter it is recommended that you have at least 3mm of tread depth to deal with weather conditions and to reduce aquaplaning.  The less tread on the tyre, the less grip on the road and the longer the stopping distance becomes.  Don’t forget to check the spare wheel at the same time.

Driving in adverse weather:

• Check the weather forecast and road conditions before you travel. Visit www.metoffice.gov.uk and www.highways.gov.uk. Follow @SurreyTravel on Twitter for an overview of travel in the county.
• Before you set off In icy/snowy conditions, make sure you have enough fuel, carry warm clothing, a blanket, spade, food, water, a charged mobile phone and a torch.  De-ice windows and remove snow from your vehicle’s roof and lights. Make sure the battery is fully charged.
• Select second gear to pull away, choose a lower gear going downhill and avoid braking too sharply.
• Make sure someone knows when you are leaving and when you aim to arrive. Allow extra time for your journey, take it carefully and be patient.
• Reduce your speed and increase the distance between you and the vehicle in front.  If you start to skid, ease off the accelerator but never brake suddenly.
• Use dipped headlights if visibility is poor and use your rear fog lights if visibility falls below 100 metres.  Don’t forget to turn them off if there is a vehicle directly behind you.

Drinking & driving: Even the smallest amount of alcohol can affect a driver's skills without them realising: Everyone is different so it’s best not to have any at all if you are driving or to make alternative travel arrangements.

Speeding: 40mph might not seem very much when sitting behind the wheel, but it will take 36m/120ft to come to a standstill. Always keep your stopping distances in mind.

For more useful road safety advice visit:

www.rospa.com

www.theaa.com

www.rac.co.uk

www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/road-safety