Elderly drivers warned 'do not drive' when tank gets to quarter full
Drivers have been warned to ensure they have "a quarter" of a tank before setting off. Elderly drivers have been warned not to leave their driveways without adequate petrol and fuel before the end of February, with the end of winter still weeks away.
Older Drivers Forum explained: "Adequate fuel/charge. If driving an electric car take even more care to identify where charging points are available. The extra demands of winter driving with heating, lights and windscreen wipers can reduce battery range by 15-20%.
"With a petrol or diesel car make sure to always have a quarter of tank of fuel in case there are unexpected delays." The group added: "Journey alert. Let someone know if you are going on a longer or different journey than usual. Never rush. Allow time for rest stops, or even an overnight stopover on longer journeys. It is better to arrive late than not at all.
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"Weather reports. Check before you leave if heavy rain, fog, floods, icy conditions, or snow are forecast. Download the Met office app to receive weather warnings. If there is a warning no journey is worth the risk. Road conditions. To find out which roads are gritted look at the Local Highways gritting maps.
"To report road condition issues such as potholes, and to see if a report has already been made go to www.fixmystreet.com and enter your postcode, or street name and area." It adds: "Use online map services and crashmap.co.uk to plan your route to minimise more demanding roads and avoid crash hotspots.
"Use motorways or dual carriageways as much as possible – these are the safest classification of roads and are likely to have been gritted. Minimise routes with difficult junctions. The most frequent setting for older driver collisions is turning right at T-junctions.
"Avoid rush hours – statistically the riskiest times for mature drivers."