The ultimate guide to driving in UK weather conditions

The weather in the UK is famously unpredictable, which can make it harder to get used to driving here. 

Yes, sometimes it feels like the UK just has different types of rain instead of different types of weather. But at certain times of year you might have to cope with showers, hail, snow, ice, fog… and the glare from an unexpected burst of sun.

Here’s what you can do to prepare your car and adjust your driving for the Great British Climate.

Weather warnings and what they mean

One way to stay ahead of poor driving conditions is to keep an eye on weather warnings.

The UK’s weather is monitored by the Met Office. They issue warnings a few days ahead of any particularly poor weather.

Weather warnings can be for:

• Rain
• Thunderstorms
• Wind
• Snow
• Lightning
• Ice
• Extreme heat
• Fog

There are three levels of weather warning:

Yellow

There might be severe weather in the next few days. Keep an eye on the forecast and plan for car journeys to take longer.

Amber

Bad weather is more likely and could be dangerous. Consider putting off non-essential journeys. Allow plenty of extra time and take extra care with unavoidable driving.

Red

The most severe warning. You should avoid areas with a red warning if possible. There is a real risk of damage or danger. You really shouldn’t drive unless it’s an emergency.

Thankfully red warnings are pretty rare. Amber and yellow warnings are more common, but with some preparation, you’ll be able to keep driving through them with extra care.

Driving in the rain

You can’t really avoid driving in the rain. There were 172 rainy days in the UK in 2023 – that’s almost half of them.

Here’s how to drive safely in a downpour:

• Increase the distance from the car in front. It takes at least twice as long to stop on wet roads compared to dry roads, so you should have double the distance between you and the car in front.
• Switch on your headlights with dipped beams as soon as it starts raining.
• Take extra care overtaking lorries and larger vehicles. Spray from their wheels can block your view.
• Be careful of aquaplaning. Aquaplaning is where you drive through a pool of water and your car loses its grip on the road, so you’re unable to steer or brake effectively. It can be very frightening, but stay calm, ease off the accelerator and avoid braking until you feel your car regain contact with the road.
• Avoid driving through badly flooded roads. Better to find a different route than to risk your car breaking down.
• For very shallow floodwater, cross slowly, sticking to the centre where the water is shallowest. Test your brakes with care as soon as you’re across.

Driving in windy conditions

Windy weather is invisible, which can make it more dangerous. Follow this advice for driving in gusty conditions:

• You don’t feel windy weather in a car as strongly as some other vehicles. Keep an eye on trees moving in the wind to help judge how bad it is.
• Small, light vehicles like motorbikes, and high ones including lorries and caravans, can be blown around by the wind. Take care passing and give them extra space.
• Look out for windsocks. These bright orange tubes are positioned near bridges and exposed areas on motorways to show you how fierce the wind is and its direction.

Driving when it’s foggy

Fog can descend quite quickly and is really disorientating for drivers. If you need to drive through fog, here’s how to stay safe.

• Use dipped headlights, even in daylight.
•  Switch on your front and rear fog lights. Switch them off as soon as the fog clears to avoid dazzling or confusing other drivers.
• Increase the distance between your car and the car in front. Fog can make it hard to see that a car has slowed or stopped so there’s a greater risk of crashing into the back of the car in front.
• Use your demisters to keep your windscreen clear.

Driving through snow and ice

Lots of drivers in the UK dread snow and ice. Luckily there’s usually only a few days of snowfall each year, but it still causes road chaos. Icy roads are more common, particularly in December and January.

Try these winter motoring tips:

• Check your tyres regularly through winter. If the tread is low they won’t grip well in snow and ice. There’s a simple way to do it with a 20p coin. Put the coin in the tread at various points round the type. If you can see the coin’s border, the tread is too low and the tyre should be replaced.
• There’s no law in the UK that says you have to swap to winter tyres in icy weather, but they have more grip and shorter stopping distance on icy roads. Studded snow tyres aren’t suitable for the UK.
• Remove snow from the top of your car before you set off. Otherwise it could fall onto your windscreen while you’re driving.
• Beware of glare. Low winter sun and reflective snow or ice can blind you and other drivers. Keep sunglasses in the car, even in winter.
• Stick to main roads that have been gritted. Be extremely cautious of driving over any roads, car parks or driveways that are ungritted in the snow.
• Drive extremely slowly and with a greater distance between you and the car in front. Stopping distances are much greater on snow and ice.
• If you have a manual car, use your gears to slow down instead of the brakes where possible.
• Avoid hard braking. If you do skid, steer in the direction of the skid to regain control.

Driving in hot weather

Ok, we don’t have to worry about this one so often in the UK, but just in case there’s a surprise heatwave, here’s how to drive through it:

• Bright sun can be blinding, so wear sunglasses to help you see.
• Carry a bottle of drinking water. Getting hot and dehydrated could distract you.
• Make sure air conditioning has been serviced and is working.

How to prepare your car for bad weather

The weather can change really suddenly in the UK. Make sure your car’s ready for it.

Keep your screen wash topped up. This is especially important in freezing weather.

Get into the habit of checking your indicator and headlight bulbs regularly and immediately change any that need it.

Check wiper blades before winter and change them if they’re worn or damaged at all.

Make sure you’re ready for anything by keeping these in an emergency bag in your car:

• Sunglasses
• Warm gloves
• Bottled water
• Ice scraper
• Folding shovel
• Emergency blanket
• Portable phone charger
• Torch
• High visibility jacket

How to prepare yourself

Now your car’s ready for the worst of the UK weather, make sure you are.

Firstly and most importantly, don’t force yourself to drive in conditions you’re uncomfortable with. Most people in the UK aren’t confident driving in snow and will try to stay off the roads if there’s a flurry.

Make sure you know where all the light switches are in your car. Sounds obvious, but if you don’t use your fog lights often, it’s easy to forget.

Remember those Met Office weather warnings? Make sure you keep an eye on the forecast so you know what to expect before you set off.

Get covered for bad weather

Snow, rain and ice all increase the risk of a bump in your car. The right car insurance is there to get you back on the road.

All Marshmallow policies are fully comprehensive, so they’ll cover the cost of fixing your car even when the weather is to blame.

And our top-of-the-range Marshmallow Plus policy includes windscreen protection, breakdown cover and onward travel after an accident.

Get a quote now for cover you can count on, whatever the weather.

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