Top Taxi Driving Tips This Winter Season
With the frosty winter mornings on the way, we round up our top tips for driving safely this winter.
The time that is dreaded by most taxi drivers is approaching as we head into the winter season.
Soon, we could all be waking up to a snow-covered car to deal with before the morning commute, which can add time onto your routine.
Though it’s essential to make sure that you’re ready to set off, especially if you’re a taxi driver who will be driving more regularly in these conditions.
Come snow, rain, or ice, you’ll be driving in wintry conditions often over the winter season so it’s important to remind yourself of these top tips to make sure you keep yourself, your passengers, and your taxi safe.
Read on for all you need to prepare for winter driving, and don’t let the frost catch you out.
Table of Contents
1. Take Your Time Before Setting Off in your taxi
2. Planning your taxi shift In Advance
1. Take Your Time Before Setting Off in your taxi
Your morning routine will understandably be a busy one, as you rush around getting ready for work and making sure you have everything you need for a shift.
Though on wintry mornings, you’ll need to account for the time it will take to defrost your taxi when covered in snow and ice, which is no quick task.
Make sure you allow extra time in your morning routine for heading out to your taxi 10-15 minutes before you need to set off. This will give you plenty of time to warm up the engine while you scrape off the snow and ice covering your windows with a scraper and some de-icer.
Take your time doing this so that you can see clearly from all windows and mirrors on the outside of your taxi, as setting off without being able to see clearly could present a risk to yourself and other road users.
2. Planning your taxi shift In Advance
Another thing that could save you a lot of time when it comes to your next shift is planning in advance and organisation.
Have you checked your windscreen washer fluid recently? Make sure this is regularly topped up to clean your taxi’s front and rear windscreens.
The winter season sees a lot more salt and grit on the roads which is essential to make them safer and accessible for motorists, especially on major roads and motorways.
A lot of this could make its way onto your taxi’s windows, so ensuring you have plenty of windscreen washer fluid will help keep your taxi clean for both you and your passengers’ satisfaction.
Though it’s not just about making sure your taxi is ready for winter driving. You also need to make sure that you are ready.
Checking routes in advance against the weather forecasts will help you to know which roads may be unsuitable or unsafe for you to use, which it is your responsibility to do in order to look after your passengers.
Other things you can do to make sure both you and your taxi are prepared for winter journeys with your passengers include:
- Ensuring you have plenty of fuel for each journey.
- Make sure tyres are in good condition and fully inflated with at least 3mm of tread depth to reduce risk of skidding.
- Save your battery’s energy for easier ignition on colder days by making sure all lights, heating and wipers are switched off before you turn off your engine at the end of a journey.
- Consider packing an emergency kit including high-vis clothing, warm blankets, a first aid kit, snacks, and other handy essentials in case of an emergency if you get stranded somewhere.
3. During your taxi shift
There are also plenty of precautions and measures you can take while driving to ensure a smooth, safe journey for you and your passengers in wintry conditions.
It goes without saying that when driving in snow and ice, you need to be extra careful and drive much slower than you normally would.
This is so that you reduce the risk of your taxi skidding and making contact with others on the road. Aim to drive in a higher gear where possible to give you greater control and if you experience skidding, avoid braking even though this will be your first instinct.
Instead, gently steer into the skid to correct it and safely maintain control of your taxi. Leaving a large gap between your taxi and the vehicle in front of you will also help you to drive smoother, giving you more than enough time to react to your surroundings and make safer, more logical decisions.
Taking your time while driving in snowy conditions is essential to ensure the safety of both you and your passengers, and this may add to your journey time. You will need to explain this to them so that they are aware if a journey will take longer than expected and reassure them that this is for their safety.
In some instances, passengers may be anxious about being late to their destination and may try to rush you as a result, though you must remain calm and patient, and stick to the route you as the taxi driver are comfortable to follow.
That’s it. We hope you found this useful and feel more prepared for winter driving this season, so that you can continue offering a great service to your passengers whatever the weather!
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