A DRIVING expert has revealed a crucial winter driving rule that could save your life.
Erin Baker, the Editorial Director at Autotrader, explained how to stay safe on icy roads and potentially save yourself hefty repair bills.
GettyErin Baker from Autotrader revealed how the Ten Times rule could save your life in winter[/caption]
Erin urged drivers to remember the Ten Times rule and drive more cautiously in cold weather.
The rule gets its name from the fact that ice can increase stopping distances by up to ten times.
This means it will take far longer to bring your motor to a halt than it would in less wintry conditions at the same speed.
Ering said: “Stopping distances will also increase in icy and snowy conditions so drive slowly and leave enough space between you and the car in front.”
According to the RAC, the average stopping distance for a family car on a dry road at 30mph is 75 feet, while at 70mph it’s 315 feet.
By the Ten Times rule, this could increase to 750 feet and 3150 feet respectively.
That means it could take up to half a mile for your car to come to a stop from 70mph.
Instead, Erin recommended using a different method to slow down.
She explained: “Try to avoid braking where possible, as normal tyres have a lower grip on icy roads.
“The best way to decelerate is by changing gears.
“You can however press the brakes gently to indicate that you’re slowing down to the vehicle behind you.”
Downshifting will allow you to slow down more steadily as the transmission synchronises the driveshaft with the speed of the lower gear.
This also does not rely on the tyres’ ability to grip the road surface as the deceleration is caused by the friction between gears and not that between the tyre and the tarmac.
Ultimately, though, Erin advised motorists not to travel in snow or ice they have to.
She added: “Just remember it might be best to delay driving in wintery conditions if your journey isn’t absolutely necessary.”
It comes after a TikToker revealed a 50p gadget to solve the problem of windows fogging up.
Meanwhile, many drivers are unaware that their car can kill their phone’s battery for good.