SOMERSET County Council’s road safety team has some helpful advice to keep everyone safe on the roads over the winter months.

Heavy rain, high winds, ice, snow, and shorter hours of daylight can make driving/riding over the winter months a challenging experience. It is important for road users to realise that road conditions can be challenging and change quickly, and that altering your driving or riding makes all the difference.

Preparation is also important – check the weather forecast and road conditions and make sure you leave extra time for your journey if conditions look bad. You can find the latest update on any significant issues on the county’s road at www.travelsomerset.co.uk

Motorists are also urged to be aware of changes to the council’s precautionary road gritting this winter – the roads that are treated as a matter of course when temperatures are forecast to drop below 1C.

This year, in light of the continued budget pressures facing all local authorities, 17 per cent of the total network (720 miles) will be gritted on a precautionary basis, a reduction on the 21 per cent (900 miles) in previous years.

You can check which roads are included by visiting www.travelsomerset.co.uk/gritting - you can zoom in and search by location or road name.

The emergency plans for times of snow are not affected by the change and will continue as usual.

Keeping your vehicle in good condition is also essential. Breaking down at the side of the road on a dark and stormy night can put the lives of everyone in the vehicle at risk. Reduce the chance of this by doing some simple maintenance: check lights, tyres and engine fluids on a weekly basis, and make sure you have enough fuel for your journey before you set off.

Consider keeping an emergency kit in the boot of your vehicle; it could prove invaluable should the worst occur.