Tips to stay safe in traffic this winter

Every year there are more than 5,800 serious road casualties in South Holland. That's 17 people a day who don't get to their destination safely. Many accidents are caused by human behavior.

The dark winter months require extra attention in traffic. You have fogged windows, little or no lighting or dark clothing. But there is also fog, ice and snow. These are all factors that influence road safety. Therefore, adapt your behavior to the circumstances. As a result, we increase safety for ourselves and also for other road users. 

More grip on the road

The following applies to both motorists and cyclists: take more time for the journey and adjust your driving style. Especially if there is snow or ice on the road. Braking and steering in corners require extra attention. By taking the corner a little more slowly, the tires keep more grip on the road. By braking in time and slowly, you reduce the chance of getting into a skid. This is also important when driving with winter tyres, especially when there is snow. Both car and bicycle have more grip. Still, snow and ice will continue to affect your driving style. With a bicycle, the condition of the front tire is especially important. A lower tire pressure can also help to have more grip.

Ensure good view and visibility

Make sure that the lighting of your car or bicycle is in order. As a cyclist, provide extra reflection on clothing and tires. In case of fog, check whether your lighting switches on automatically. If not, do it yourself manually.

Start with a good battery

The battery of the car has a hard time in the winter. This is the most affected by the cold and this can prevent the car from starting when it gets too cold. Are you cycling on an e-bike? These batteries also do not like frost. Store them frost-free and charge them when they are at room temperature.

Proper maintenance of your bicycle is also important

Not only your car requires maintenance for the winter. The brakes of your bicycle also require extra attention during this period. Moisture in brake cables can cause them to freeze and prevent braking. You can prevent this by lubricating the brake cables with chain oil in good time. When there is ice on the rims, the blocks cannot get a grip, which makes braking very difficult or even impossible. Try to remove this ice by gently braking a bit. It is better to scrape the ice off the rim first and only then get on your bike. The chain can also use some extra oil. Do not clean the chain, cleaning often pushes dirt deeper into the chain. It is better to drip some oil in each link. Chain oil for wet conditions holds best in winter.

Read the original article in Dutch.