Ice related accidents double
UK drivers aren’t the most skilled or confident when it comes to driving in winter conditions according to research revealed by the AA, in partnership with the Ski and Snowboard Show this week. The statistics revealed that the number of traffic accidents during the winter period almost doubled between January 2009 and January 2010 as the weather took a turn for the worse.
The most common accidents found by the AA were collisions with stationary cars at junctions or traffic lights, sliding into the path of other vehicles due to black ice, or drivers failing to negotiate a bend properly and hitting inanimate objects like kerbs or lamp posts.
One amusing claim comes from a gentleman who decided to take a taxi to the station rather than risk taking to the road himself. As it set off, the taxi skidded and crashed into his own car. In another case, a customer tried to dissuade his girlfriend from driving in the ice but she set off anyway: he followed later and crashed into the back of a car at traffic lights, pushing it into the car in front: which turned out to be his un-amused partner!
With the significant uplift in accidents last winter, the Ski and Snowboard Show has teamed up with Land Rover to offer visitors the chance to hone their winter driving skills on a specially prepared ice road.
“With the winter months looming, we wanted to offer drivers the opportunity to extend their knowledge of driving in icy conditions as we know it can be an extremely daunting experience!” commented Tim Holmes, Ski and Snowboard Show Manager.
This year’s show is taking place at Kensington Olympia from 20th-24th October and will refresh driver’s knowledge and confidence when it comes to staying safe on the roads this winter.
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