WITH temperatures having dropped significantly, road conditions will be increasingly tricky for motorists travelling over the festive period, and they need to take the necessary precautions, according to the Met Office.

According to new research from the Met Office, 1.56 million private car drivers have suffered at least one accident in the last five years due to winter road conditions, with motorists forking out an average of £1,362 in damages per incident.

And with 312,382 accidents estimated to be caused through winter conditions per annum – the total estimated cost of winter vehicle damage every year is £425m.

But it’s not just adverse winter conditions that British motorists need to be wary of, it’s also the inactivity of their vehicles and the possibility of battery failure, as James Knight, director of roadside operations at the RAC explains: “Typically the busiest day for breakdowns is the first day back to work after the festive period so this year calls will peak on Tuesday, 2 January, when we anticipate there will be around 11,300 breakdowns.

"This is because many people have not driven their vehicles over the Christmas period and so their batteries have not had the chance to charge-up and older, tired batteries will struggle in the icy conditions to start their vehicle.

“We advise drivers to take their cars out for a 10 or 15-minute journey on the day before they return to work just to charge the battery. It would be wise to invest another 10 minutes in some simple checks to ensure your oil, coolant and screen wash are all topped up, your lights and wipers are all working and your tyres are at the correct pressure and have a good depth of tread. This will be time well spent and could save you from the inconvenience and frustration of a new-year breakdown.”

The Met Office has provided some key steps you should take to ensure you get to your destination safely this Christmas.

Check the Met Office forecast for your route - Weather can change rapidly, especially in winter. Stay ahead of the weather by keeping up to date with the latest forecasts, so that you can plan and adapt your journey accordingly.

Make DIY car checks part of your routine - Get in the habit of checking your oil and coolant levels, as well as checking wiper blades for wear and tear and that your screen wash is topped up and effective down to at least -15°C.

Don’t rely on your smartphone - Phones may be multi-purpose tools, but in the event of a breakdown on the side of a country road at night, a phone light won’t give you enough visibility, and you might not have enough service to accurately pinpoint your location. Instead, keep a torch and a road atlas in your car, so you can preserve your phone for making emergency calls.

Keep a winter kit in the car at all times - Make sure you’re prepared for the worst by keeping warm clothes, a blanket, food and water in the car.

Don’t underestimate winter sun - Low sun levels in winter can be dangerous, seriously affecting your visibility. Keep a pair of sunglasses to hand to stop yourself being dazzled by glare.

Keep your battery healthy - Failing car batteries are a major reason for breakdown call-outs at this time of year, so make sure yours is regularly maintained, charged and in good health. Keep a set of jump start cables or jump leads in the car, and make sure you know how to use them!

If in doubt, don’t risk driving through flood water - If you’re unsure how deep an area of flooding is, don’t enter it. If you do have to drive through a flooded road, stick to the highest section of the road and drive slowly without stopping.

Once clear of the water, check your brakes and dry them out as much as possible – a light touch of the brakes while moving should be enough.

When snow hits, take it slow - When driving in snow, accelerate gently, using low revs. As well as taking it slow, give yourself more space on the road – you may need 10 times the normal gap between you and the car in front.

Keep your tyres in check - Check the condition of your tyres (including the spare) for the correct pressure, as well as for their tread depth – which should, by law, be at least 1.6mm for cars.