When you have children in your car you are so much more aware of the dangers on the roads. It is therefore essential that you plan and take a different approach to journeys, even short ones.

Motorists ill-equipped for winter driving conditions and ignorance and poor planning are putting lives at risk

Millions of British drivers will be putting themselves and other drivers at risk in the coming months due to ignorance of winter driving conditions and a lack of adequate preparation.

13% of motorists will not conduct any checks on their car before the winter and less than half will check the battery, brakes, lights or windscreen wipers. While most people will keep a mobile phone and an ice scraper in the car, only 45% keep a torch, 39% a blanket and less than one in four will keep a supply of emergency food and water. Over 75% do not check their battery before winter, even though this is the most common cause of breakdown.

More than three quarters of drivers surveyed by Green Flag underestimate stopping distances in icy conditions. The time it takes from braking to coming to a halt increases by ten times on winter roads but the majority of motorists think it is half this or less. There is confusion about how to combat an icy skid: one in five drivers would turn the steer away from the skid rather than the correct procedure of taking the foot off the accelerator and then steering smoothly into the direction of the skid. The under 24-age group are the most likely to make this mistake and potentially cause a serious accident.

Motoring organisations are calling for drivers to take lessons in winter driving and there are clearly basic skills that could help save lives. 30% of drivers do not keep a greater distance from the car in front in winter weather conditions and one in five do not drive slower.

For more information visit www.greenflag.com

Follow Green Flag's top ten for safer driving this winter.

• Check the region's weather forecast before setting off and throughout the journey
• Check your battery regularly at a garage and remember not to leave your lights on
• Allow for a few minutes before you set off to carry out a few necessary maintenance checks
• Remove ice to ensure you have good all-round visibility
• Ensure tyres are inflated to the correct pressure and have adequate tread depth
• Check the oil and water levels and top up if necessary
• Ensure wiper blades are in good condition and top up screen washer bottles
• Make sure all lights are clean and in good working order to ensure optimum visibility
• Carry a fully-charged mobile phone in the car with the number of your breakdown organisation stored in it in case of emergencies

Keep a few essentials in the car such as an ice-scraper, de-icer, spade, torch and boots plus a blanket, some water and some food in case you find yourself stranded

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