Motorists’ biggest winter fear is new drivers

As the Met office warns we could be facing one of the wettest winters ever, you may be surprised by what motorists are most concerned about when it comes to driving in winter months. Rather than hazardous weather conditions; black ice; getting stuck in snow or being stranded, a new study from Halfords Autocentres reveals that when it comes to winter driving, the thing motorists fear most is new drivers!

The survey by Britain’s leading independent garage chain found that almost a third of motorists (29.2 per cent) rank inexperienced drivers as the most worrying hazard when driving in winter. This was followed closely by skidding on surface water or ice (28 per cent) and driving in fog (27 per cent).

The ability of new drivers to deal with adverse weather conditions is such a concern that 85 per cent of those surveyed think that winter driving techniques should be part of the practical exam for learner drivers. 67 per cent said aquaplaning on surface water and skidding on ice posed the biggest threat to new drivers who have no experience of dealing with such situations.

The behaviour of other road users plays a big part in how confident motorists feel about driving in poor weather. 64 per cent said people take more risks driving during winter and 38 per cent said inconsiderate and aggressive driving actually increases at this time of year which can be extremely intimidating for new drivers.

Halfords Autocentres’ Stefan Warhaftig said: “Winter road conditions can be challenging for motorists but it seems that other road users rather than deteriorating weather conditions is what causes drivers the most concern. Driving in heavy rain, snow and ice can be daunting, especially for those with no experience of driving in such conditions. And it’s not just new drivers that this affects, last year’s mild winter means that even people who passed their test in the last couple of years may not have experienced driving in severe weather conditions before.

“But even the most experienced drivers fear winter motoring with 48 per cent of people surveyed saying they are anxious or genuinely frightened about driving in the winter and 17 per cent said they reduce the amount of driving they do or even stop completely.”

To help motorists face the challenges of the changing weather, Halfords has once again produced a Winter Survival Guide which combines SAS survival tactics from John ‘Lofty’ Wiseman with technical knowledge from a range of experts including Team Dynamics, MIRA and St John Ambulance. The updated guide also has several new sections including one from RED Driving School which offers tips and advice for new drivers who have never driven in wintery conditions before.

The Winter Survival Guide is an accessible, jargon free format that makes for an easy yet informative read. It is free to download and contains different chapters tackling scenarios involving ice and snow as well as good general advice on subjects such as administering first aid and how to safely pack your car.