WINTER DRIVING
   



Drivers fail to see the light		  


Longer nights and bad weather are a fatal combination for motorists, but the vast majority of drivers remain ignorant of the safety features available on today’s cars to make their journeys more risk free. Ashley Martin reports

A quarter of all fatal accidents on the UK’s roads occur between 4pm and 9pm – the majority in the winter months when there is an overall 18% rise in crashes. Research has also shown that 50% of all reported road traffic accidents at night occur in wet conditions and not in ice and snow. But, in the UK, it is wet on average only 10% of the nights.

“Most people are not aware of the many basic safety systems fitted to modern cars”
Additionally, German research has shown that while 75% of all driving is undertaken during daylight hours, over 50% of fatal accidents happen during the hours of darkness. Similar accident figures from the US studies reveal that about 50% of serious accidents are caused as a result of the driver not having enough information about the road ahead to take avoiding action. Meanwhile, a survey by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveals that the majority of people are unfamiliar with the latest safety technologies fitted to new cars.

The survey of 110 people in central London – 75% of whom were drivers – revealed that:

  • More than half couldn’t name any active safety system in a modern car
  • Only 29% named ABS, even though since July last year all new cars in the UK are fitted with the device as standard
  • Just 5% knew about electronic stability programme (ESP)
  • 6% of people were unable to name any active safety feature (technology that prevents accidents from happening) or passive safety feature (technology that limits the effect of an accident on vehicle occupants or pedestrians)

It is against that background that the SMMT and RoadSafe have joined forces this winter to raise awareness of the latest vehicle and road safety technology available to drivers, as well as to demonstrate the dangers of driving at night. At a “Driving in Winter” interactive event jointly hosted by the two organisations, a number of companies demonstrated the latest vehicle safety technologies (see overleaf). SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan says: “Many of the latest technologies are becoming more common in new cars. What this survey shows is that most people are not aware of the many basic safety systems fitted to modern cars, let alone the investment in the latest active safety systems that are helping to drive down injuries and deaths on the road. “There is a huge amount of work to be done on education. The UK is progressively reducing death and injuries on our roads, but I want to see the figures reducing still further. There is no room for complacency.” Last year, 34,351 people were killed or seriously injured on the nation’s roads – almost 3,000 down on the 2003 toll and more than 13,000 down on the average figure for 1994-1998, according to the Department for Transport.

What that shows, says RoadSafe director Adrian Walsh, is the significant part that improved car design, better driver education, improved road design and better measures to prevent poor driving behaviour have done to reduce crash casualties. But, he warns: “The risk of death in the case of a crash is three times higher for night driving than for clear visibility conditions. 90% of a driver’s reaction depends on vision and vision is severely limited at night. Even on well-lit roads, depth perception, colour recognition and peripheral vision are compromised after sunset.”

He adds: “By and large, drivers realise the dangers of ice and snow, but few drivers realise that the most common danger in winter is wet weather, not ice and snow.” Reacting to the survey findings, Mr Walsh says: “We’re surprised how little most drivers know about the active safety systems on their cars. Developments in active safety offer real life-saving advantages to drivers, particularly in the wet, winter months. With the facts before them, we believe drivers would unhesitatingly demand these systems in their cars as they offer substantial benefits in reducing accidents on our roads.” On dipped lights, driving at 40mph after seeing an object means a motorist has about 1.5 seconds to react – on main beam time available to react doubles to three seconds.

Road safety professionals say that, after encountering a hazard on the road, a driver goes through five steps before stopping the vehicle – frequently not long enough to enable a crash-avoiding manoeuvre to take place:

  1. Perception of the hazard, under poor visibility conditions
  2. Identifying the hazard under poor lighting conditions
  3. Considering the alternatives available, and deciding that action to take
  4. Reaction time – mental plus muscular
  5. Braking
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Winter weather conditions demand that drivers take extra care
“Lights on vehicles are useless if motorists don't use them, check and maintain them”

Mr Walsh says: “Dipped headlights should always be used even in lit streets and main beam used whenever possible. Above all, drivers should check that their lights are clean.” The RAC Foundation has highlighted that, while there has been a huge investment in research and development by lighting manufacturers that means lights on today’s vehicles are more effective and efficient than ever, they are useless if motorists don’t use them, check and maintain them. Last year, more than one million cars and 12,500 motorcycles failed the MoT because of lighting defects.

The Foundation also wants local authorities to ensure that all street lighting is of a good standard and that roads and pavements are well maintained, with no potholes or raised paving stones to endanger pedestrians and two-wheeled traffic at night.

Winter driving fact file
  • In wet weather, stopping distances will be at least double those required for stopping on dry roads
  • In ice and slush, it can take up to 10 times longer to stop than on a dry road
  • The greatest risk of falling sleep at the wheel is between midnight-6am and 2-4pm. Falling asleep at the wheel accounts for up to 20% of crashes on motorways or similar roads, and 10% of all crashes
Winter driving tips
  • Try to start off in second gear and, once moving, use the highest gear possible to avoid wheel spin
  • Allow more time to brake and accelerate and leave more room between the car you are driving and the car in front – stopping distances are doubled in the wet and it can take up to 10 times longer to stop in icy conditions than it will on a dry road.
  • Try to reduce speed gradually by decelerating rather than braking – avoid harsh braking and acceleration at all times
  • Try to maintain a constant speed, choosing the most suitable gear in advance to avoid having to change down while climbing a hill.
  • When driving downhill, choose third or fourth gear to prevent skidding.
  • To brake on ice or snow without locking your wheels, get into a low gear earlier than normal, allow your speed to fall and use the brake pedal gently.
  • If you start to skid, ease off the accelerator but do not brake suddenly.

Source: DaimlerChrysler.

Coming soon . . .

Vehicle safety technology highlighted at the SMMT and RoadSafe interactive event and not featured elsewhere in RoadSafe magazine includes:

Dunlop Transcalm: A new-style road hump has been launched by UK firm Dunlop Transcalm which, it is

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“Sliding doors present an obvious and practical solution in helping to protect the cyclist”

claimed, is set to revolutionise current traffic calming and road safety methods. The technology is designed to overcome the problems associated with traditional solid vertical deflection traffic calming and other road safety measures. The Corporation of London has piloted the Transcalm for three years and the company is currently in negotiation with potential clients in the Irish Republic, Denmark and Sweden, as well as the UK. Joe Weiss, highways and transportation director of the Corporation of London, describes the device as “the Rolls-Royce of road humps” and says that no complaints about the technology have been received from a motorist, pedestrian, cyclist or neighbour. Transcalm is made of rubber and filled with air. Drivers complying with the speed limit do not have to adjust their speed to cross the “hump” as the valve deflates, allowing their vehicle a smooth passage; if a driver fails to comply with the speed limit, the valve does not deflate and the driver and passengers experience a “jolt” as the vehicle leaves the Transcalm. Its backers say the technology discourages the “slow down to a stop then accelerate” impact of traditional road humps, significantly reduces damage to cars and can also be used where other traffic calming solutions cannot, such as on bus routes.

Peugeot: The French manufacturer’s innovative 1007 features sliding doors, which, says the company, make the model a “new preference” for cyclists. With cyclists a major casualty, particularly in winter – there were more than 2,300 cyclists killed or seriously injured in the UK last year – the potential hazard caused by a driver suddenly opening their door is removed. The 1007 has a Euro NCAP five-star rating and with 36 points it is the highest score recorded by any car since the safety standard began in 1997. Stephen Lambert, Peugeot product manager, says: “With manufacturers striving to improve safety levels for both vehicle occupants and other road users, sliding doors present an obvious and practical solution in helping to protect the cyclist and reduce the number of such incidents.” As a further safety aid the vehicle’s RT3 satellite navigation, which also appears in other Peugeot models, is capable of receiving text messages – the driver puts their mobile phone simcard into the system – and through an in-built voice synthesizer “speaks” the words.

Philips: The all-new Citroën C6, to be launched in the UK towards the end of the first quarter of 2006, features a plethora of vehicle safety equipment (see manufacturers’ round-up). But one feature that has not yet been highlighted by Citroën is the daytime running lights, which utilise Philips technology with the C6, seeing the first time use of a newly-developed bulb, which is said to last for the lifetime of the car. On the C6, daytime running lights are fitted below the bumper in a self-contained unit. A study commissioned by the European Union reveals that the mandatory use of daytime running lights would cut road deaths by 5%. Daytime running lights have long been a feature on cars in countries such as Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland and have more recently been introduced in Italy and Austria, and 12 months ago France moved to a “test period”.

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A spokeswoman for Philips says: “It is just a matter of time until the EU rules for mandatory running lights on all new cars. Carmakers are anticipating this decision by integrating dedicated daytime running light solutions.” Philips says that when the use of daytime running lights is made compulsory, the use of main beam on vehicles not fitted with dedicated daytime running lights will go from 6.5 hours to approximately 15.9 hours per 1,000kms. That means motorists will have to change their standard car light bulbs three times in the first two years. As a result, dedicated long-life daytime running light bulbs are being developed to cut vehicle maintenance costs. The EU committee considering the study recommended the mandatory introduction of daytime running lights, but pointed out that some road users’ associations fear that daytime running lights on cars would:

  • Mask the conspicuity of motorcyclists, even if they had daytime running lights themselves
  • Daze and confuse pedestrians, particularly the aged
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“The positive effects of traffic turning on their lights during the day would be a reduction in road crashes”

The study’s overall conclusion was that the positive effects of traffic turning on their lights during the day would be a reduction in road crashes. Indeed, the main cost-benefit would be in the fatality reduction of between 1,000 and 3,000 per year, which, relative to the 40,000 fatalities in the 15 EU countries at the time of the study would mean a cut of between 2.5-7.5%. The EU says: “It is likely that daylight running lights on passenger cars would have a favourable effect on accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists. Although the study concluded that daytime running lights on cars would benefit motorcyclists (with or without their own daytime running lights), the perception is that the conspicuity of motorcycles using daytime running lights may be reduced if cars also use their dipped beams. This possible problem would be reduced or even eliminated if new cars were equipped with low-intensity dedicated daytime running lights only. For ‘full-coverage’ daytime running lights the behavioural requirement to turn on dipped beams during the day has the highest benefit/cost- ratio. Other ‘full coverage’ options include the provision of dedicated daytime running lights for new cars and the rest of the car park turning on its dipped beams. This option has the highest road safety potential.”

Tabard International: Walkers Snacks Services has equipped its fleet of 254 light commercial vehicles with reversing aids and slashed vehicle repair costs as well as improving safety. John Hendy, van fleet sales manager of Pepsico International, which counts the Walkers brand amongst its portfolio, which also includes Pepsi, Quaker and Tropicana, says: “It costs £135 to buy and have the sensors fitted and because of the number of reversing incidents that resulted in vehicle damage, particularly to the footplate, fitting the reversing sensors made sound economic sense. It could cost £300 or more to straighten a footplate. From a health and safety perspective, it also makes sense as the driver receives both audible and visual warnings alerting them to hazards behind the vehicle.” It is estimated that around 28% of all commercial vehicle accidents occur when a vehicle is reversing and that the average cost of each accident is £469. In addition, 25% of all fatalities are caused by reversing vehicles. Reversing aids for commercial vehicles cost £85 (exc VAT) + fitting and £65 (exc VAT) + fitting for cars. Commercial vehicle sensors give warning from up to three metres (1.5m for cars). Meanwhile, it is estimated that a total of 1.5 million accidents involving cars occur while vehicles are reversing. Customers include: Asda, Waitrose, DHL, Sainsbury’s, Dairy Crest, TNT and a number of police and fire brigades.

Vauxhall: The next generation of headlamps being developed by Vauxhall engineers will automatically adjust themselves to suit the road and visibility conditions. Vauxhall says that more than 80% of all road traffic accidents occur in darkness and bad weather. Rather than just being reactive to the steering wheel, the new adaptive forward lighting (AFL) will link to satellite navigation systems to predict the road conditions ahead and adjust the lighting accordingly. When travelling in a straight line, for example on a motorway, a far-reaching beam of light is needed. However, in urban areas a broad blanket of light is required to bring hazards into the driver’s field of vision. Meanwhile, on country lanes, the road ahead and bends need to be illuminated accurately. With satellite navigation giving exact road information, the system will be able to adapt to bends or hilltops and avoid dazzling other road users. A bad weather light, using advanced sensors to sample the conditions, will help the driver to see more in rain, snow or fog by using a wide beam to pick out the edges of the carriageway and prevent glare from the road surface. In 2003, the company was the first mainstream car manufacturer to offer AFL, technology which combined bi-xenon headlights with a beam which moves as the car takes bends and then shifts upwards to increase visibility at motorway speeds. Additionally, another pair of extra bulbs illuminate to “look” left and right at junctions. The technology is an £850 option on most Signum and Vectra models and costs £750 on Astra and Zafira models.

Clock watching

Safety campaigners have renewed their calls for changes in the way clocks are altered in autumn and spring to save up to 450 deaths and serious injuries on the UK’s roads.

Following the turning back of the clocks by one hour this autumn, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) warned that deaths on Britain’s roads were expected to rise and urged the government to switch to a system that would bring lighter evenings all-year-round.

In a bid to cut road deaths and serious injuries, RoSPA wants the government to bring in a three-year time trial to prove how lives could be saved. Under the current system, road casualty rates increase after the clocks are moved at the end of October, with the arrival of darker evenings and worsening weather conditions.

In 2004, road deaths rose from 269 in October to 300 in November and to 323 in December. Pedestrian deaths went up from 56 in October to 76 in November and 78 in December and the overall casualty rate for road accidents also increased.

The RoSPA plan is for single/double summertime. Rather than reverting to Greenwich Mean Time in October, the clocks would stay one hour ahead until spring when they would be put forward another hour in March. This would result in darker mornings, but an extra hour of evening daylight throughout the year. Once the initial adjustments had been made the clocks would still be moved backwards and forwards by an hour in autumn and spring, but would always stay ahead of GMT.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA head of road safety, says: “We will continue to lobby the government, urging it to support the scheme for lighter evenings all-year-round. Studies show that vulnerable road users are more at risk during dark evenings than in the morning.”

Affordable ESP

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“Road casualty rates increase after the clocks are moved at the end of October”

DaimlerChrysler, the brand behind the Smart car concept, is claiming to have the cheapest car on sale in the UK with Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) fitted as standard.

The life-saving technology is fitted as standard to the smart fortwo car, which costs from £6,810. In the small car segment, DaimlerChrysler – the first car manufacturer to introduce a stability control system in its vehicles when it launched ESP on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class in 1997 – says it is more common to find ESP as a cost-option in the sector, if it is available at all.

Statistics show that 60% of all fatal accidents in Europe are due to skidding. Euro NCAP says that the fitting of ESP should be a key priority for drivers when they select their cars (RoadSafe: summer 2005). Currently less than 30% of cars on sale in the UK are fitted with ESP, which compares the driver’s intended course, via steering angle and braking sensors, to the car’s actual course – by lateral acceleration, yaw and wheel speed sensors on each of the four wheels – and applies brakes on a single wheel or reduces engine power to restore the car to its course.

Since DaimlerChrysler introduced ESP across its range of vehicles, the number of DaimlerChrysler brand vehicles involved in accidents where the driver loses control with no other external cause has decreased by 25%.

Wilfried Steffen, chief executive of DaimlerChrysler UK says: “In the last 12 months however, DaimlerChrysler has introduced a number of new vehicles with ESP, meaning that the range of drivers able to benefit from this excellent safety system has increased significantly.”

“Road casualty rates increase after the clocks are moved at the end of October”

Frozen assets

IAM Fleet is ensuring that winter driving is no problem for the drivers from leading prestige ski tour operator Powder Byrne.

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In really bad conditions, drivers should only set off if they absolutely have to
“You don't need several feet of snow for road dangers to increase”

Once again this winter, IAM Fleet has geared up for the ski season by training the travel firm’s resort drivers in specific techniques for driving on snow and ice to ensure the safety of their guests.

Powder Byrne operates five minibuses for transfers around its luxury destinations in Switzerland. All drivers have attended a two-day IAM Fleet driver training course on location, in the kind of conditions they will experience through the season.

Powder Byrne’s Simon Ford believes such training is vital. He says: “We have a responsibility to keep both our staff and our guests safe. If you haven’t lived your life in a ski resort, driving on snow is something you need to learn and I feel happier knowing our resort teams are specifically trained for it.”

Although business drivers in Britain should not expect to regularly encounter Swiss ski conditions, IAM Fleet’s head of training Mark Edwards believes everyone can benefit from a little more understanding.

He says: “In the UK, we have relatively little exposure to snow and ice and perhaps less call for some of the advanced techniques required to drive in such conditions.

“However, you don’t need several feet of snow for road dangers to increase and there are some basic tips and skills that could make us all safer and ready to deal with winter driving problems.”

IAM’s winter driving advice:

  • In really bad conditions, start by asking yourself if your journey is really necessary and/or can it be delayed until conditions improve?
  • Clean your windscreen and windows (low sun on cold winter days can be dazzling and prevent you from seeing changes in road conditions), check screen washers are not blocked and that screen wash is topped up and contains solution to prevent freezing
  • Avoid using very hot water to clear frozen window glass as it could break the glass and will re-freeze quickly
  • Ensure that head, tail and brake lights are all working and keep lenses clear and free from snow or salt
  • Ensure tyres are in good condition and are properly inflated
  • Carry the following in your vehicle: warm coat, reflective jacket, torch, tow rope, mobile phone, ice scraper
  • Look out for “frost hollows” and icy patches, particularly in shadowed areas on country roads
  • Remember that, in cold weather, bridges tend to freeze over first (as they have cold air above and below them)
  • Select the highest gear you can to move off in to avoid wheel spin and keep the engine revs low
  • Keep your speed down in adverse weather; increase safety gaps to other vehicles, steer, brake, accelerate and change gear more gently and gradually
  • If your vehicle skids, try to identify the cause (acceleration, braking, steering or inappropriate speed) and remove it – decelerate gently and de-clutch if appropriate