WEATHER WARNING: Storm Barbara warning to drivers

Storm Barbara warning to drivers

With forecasters predicting the arrival of Storm Barbara in the UK on Friday (23 December 2016), Highways England is repeating its warning to drivers to slow down in the rain.

The warning comes after almost 3,000 people were killed or seriously injured when driving in the rain last year.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for high winds in the North from 9am on Friday 23 December until 9am on Friday 24 December (Christmas Eve), with heavy rain also expected.

Stuart Lovatt, Highways England’s road safety spokesperson, said:

“We’re urging drivers to stay safe by responding to the changing conditions on the road during Storm Barbara.

“Many people will be planning long journeys over the next few days to see friends and relatives during Christmas but it’s vital they slow down during stormy weather.

“Rain makes it harder for tyres to grip the road and harder for drivers to see ahead – significantly increasing the chances of being involved in a crash.”

Last month, Highways England launched a new safety campaign warning drivers that ‘when it rains, it kills’ after the latest statistics showed that people are 30 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the roads in rain than in snow.

The figures also reveal that travelling too fast for the current conditions was identified as a factor in 1 in 9 road deaths in Great Britain last year, with drivers failing to alter how they drive in response to changing conditions on the road.

Besides the risks associated with driving too fast in the rain, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes during high winds so drivers should slow down and avoid using exposed sections of road if possible.

Highways England is warning that even driving within the speed limit in wet weather could be dangerous if drivers don’t allow extra space between them and the vehicle in front.

A new road safety video has also been produced, directed by award-winning photographer Nadav Kander, which shows rain falling inside the home of a family imagined to have been involved in a serious road collision. The video is available to watch at https://youtu.be/KMHRmsyAKes.

It generally takes at least twice as long to stop on a wet road as on a dry road because tyres have less grip on the surface. In wet weather you should:

• Slow down if the rain and spray from vehicles is making it difficult to see and be seen;
• Keep well back from the vehicle in front as this will increase your ability to see and plan ahead; and
• Ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually if the steering becomes unresponsive as it probably means that water is preventing the tyres from gripping the road.

In total, 197 people lost their lives on roads during rainfall in Great Britain last year and 2,721 suffered a serious injury, compared to 14 deaths and 153 serious injuries during fog, and 2 deaths and 95 serious injuries during snow.

Highways England is aiming to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on England’s motorways and major A roads by 40% by 2020 through road improvements, safety campaigns and other initiatives.

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