Motorists are being advised to consider deactivating a key safety system in their car during specific conditions.
Traction control, which prevents skidding by curbing tyre spin, may be better switched off in certain situations, according to car experts.
Experts from BigWantsYourCar.com said: “Traction control is designed to stop wheelspin and keep the car stable, which is essential in everyday driving.
“But in extreme situations such as being stuck in mud, snow, ice or loose gravel, allowing the wheels to spin can actually help a car to break free.
“In those conditions, switching traction control off briefly can make the difference between staying stranded and getting moving again.”
The button to switch off traction control can typically be identified by a car icon with skid marks or abbreviations such as ESC, ESP, or ASR.
For most vehicles, the button needs to be pressed and held for a few seconds to prevent accidental deactivation.
BigWantsYourCar.com added: “It is important to remember that traction control should only ever be disabled in specific scenarios where you are stuck and need extra wheelspin to regain momentum.
“For normal driving, particularly in the rain or on icy roads, it is a vital safety feature that should always remain on.
“The system will react to a skid faster than any driver can and will often prevent a minor slide from turning into a serious accident.”
They added that drivers should familiarise themselves with this function but exercise caution.
Keeping traction control on in general driving conditions is strongly advised to ensure the safety of both drivers and passengers.
Here are some other common speed camera myths:
No. There are no laws about visibility, so nothing is stopping an officer from operating in the dark. But they don’t often choose to do this and maintain that being visible acts as a deterrent in its own right.
Go Safe Casualty Reduction Officer, Gareth Thomas said: “Legally, we don’t have to be visible. I could camouflage myself if I wanted to – but it’s all about being fair, education and preventing an accident. Even if I parked my van and went for a walk somewhere, it would deter people from speeding right away.”
If drivers choose to flash to warn others about a speed van, they could be in breach of the law. Under section 89 of the Police Act 1997 it is an offence to “wilfully obstruct a constable in the execution of his/her duty”.
However, Gareth says while it is an offence, it is very difficult to prove. He said: “It doesn’t bother me that people flash to warn them of the speed van – I just want to educate people and the van to act as a speed deterrent.”
It all comes down to the circumstances within which you were caught speeding, and how much you were more than the limit. The minimum penalty for being caught speeding on the UK’s roads is a £100 fine.
But Gareth explained in some circumstances, police can offer the option of attending a speed awareness course – an alternative to a fine and penalty points. Gareth, said: “An accredited course is far more likely to improve driver behaviour and consequently make our roads safer.
“Courses are available to drivers who respond quickly to the ‘notices’ and who were driving at no more than 10 per cent, plus 9 mph above the posted speed limit.”
So for example, anyone travelling over 86mph on a motorway would not be offered the awareness course. Those who don’t have a clean licence at the time of the office, or if you have been on the course in the last three years, it is unlikely you will be offered the awareness course as an option.
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