A survey by Kia Motors UK suggested that the relatively mild autumn 2007 weather might have "lulled drivers into a false sense of security" this year, and that many simply "weren't prepared".  The study also revealed a difference between what motorists knew about safe driving in winter, and what they actually put into practice.

• When it came to items kept in cars during the winter months, only two in five (40%) carried a first aid kit, despite more than half (54%) agreeing it was important to do so. 
• Likewise only 30% carried a reflective hazard triangle, even though 52% considering it to be an "important piece of kit". 
• More than two thirds of drivers (68%) thought warm clothes or blankets were an important safety measure to keep in the car, but only 40% of British drivers regularly carried them in winter. 
• In recent years there have been several incidents where motorists in Britain have been caught out by snowfall and have been stranded over night in their vehicles in freezing conditions. 

Drivers are also forgetting to carry out simple safety checks on their cars in preparation for winter.  Just 35% of the 2,335 motorists questioned by the car-maker checked the tread and pressure of their tyres each month last winter.  Even visibility in vehicles was being neglected, with a third confessing to setting off without waiting for their windows to be fully clear of ice and mist.

The British weather could change in a matter of hours and drivers should therefore carry basic safety equipment regardless of current conditions.  A fully charged mobile phone should be included as an essential piece of safety kit.

Go on, be sensible, be prepared – editor