Road users urged to prepare for extreme weather conditions as winter breakdowns increase

With nearly 40% of drivers planning a long journey of more than two hours over the festive break, and winter breakdowns on motorways and major A roads increasing by 22% in the last 5 years, statistics unveiled today by National Highways reveal how surprisingly unprepared many road users are for travel during the winter period.

Results show that:

Only 34% travel with water, yet nearly two thirds (62%) believe it to be vital

Only 10% confirmed they have emergency food in their cars, whilst almost half (47%) consider it to be a necessity

Only half of road users have de-icer in their vehicles, yet almost three quarters (74%) of those surveyed believe they ought to

A shocking 64% of people travel without extra layers or warm clothes

Only 21% travel with a fully charged mobile phone, but 60% know they should

National Highways is releasing this data as it launches its annual winter TRIP campaign from Monday (25th November) to encourage drivers to take the necessary precautions as colder weather sets in and road conditions become more challenging with the likes of snow, ice, and rain.

The acronym TRIP promotes four simple steps to prepare drivers using motorways and major A roads this winter:

Top-up: Fuel, oil, and screen wash

Rest: Plan regular stops every two hours to avoid driver fatigue

Inspect: Check tyre pressure and tread

Prepare: Have a plan for severe weather conditions

Friday, 20th December is expected to be the busiest day on the roads over the festive period, with 7.2 million people planning to travel more than two hours. Drivers are being encouraged to plan and prepare now by packing a winter travel kit including de-icer, an ice scraper, warm clothing, boots, food, water, a torch, and a snow shovel.

Data shows that winter breakdown incidents on major roads have increased by 22% over the last five years, with tyre issues as the top reason (19.1%) followed by loss of power (7.9%)*. National Highways warns that incidents and breakdowns of this kind can hinder its gritters from treating the roads, potentially leading to additional disruptions and delays.

Duncan Smith, Executive Director of Operations at National Highways, said:

"Preparation is key to staying safe during winter journeys and we're already playing our part by lifting roadworks on key routes in time for Black Friday deliveries next week, helping logistics companies.

"Across the entire winter season, we have Traffic Officers, Control Operators and operations colleagues working around the clock to keep roads accessible, providing a smoother travel experience for all.

"We're now asking road users to do their bit too. Packing the right essentials and driving cautiously in poor weather can make all the difference. So, if you're planning to use the roads, check your vehicle, plan ahead, and use our TRIP guidance to get winter ready."

National Highways has 535 gritters on hand, with over 240,000 tonnes of rock salt held at National Highways-owned salt barns - which is equivalent to 240 million kilograms of salt. For added snow power, all gritters can be fitted with snowploughs if necessary.

In snow and icy conditions, vehicles including HGVs can still lose traction and find it difficult to manoeuvre on steep inclines, which can result in roads getting blocked by stranded heavy vehicles, hindering gritters. 

The TRIP initiative is part of National Highways' ongoing commitment to safer roads, aiming to keep traffic moving smoothly and minimise weather-related incidents.

Visit the National Highways website for more information on staying safe on the roads this winter.

Ends

Notes to Editors

*Statistics used are taken from National Highways Control Works data for November - January which shows:

Over the last 5-year period, winter breakdown incidents have increased by 22% from 56,517 (in Nov-19 to Jan-20) to 68,893 (in Nov-23 to Jan-24).  

Over the 5 winter periods and where the reason for breakdown is known, tyre issue is the top reason (19.1%) followed by loss of power (7.9%). 

Over the last 5-year period, breakdown incidents have increased by 22% from 56,517 (in Nov-19 to Jan-20) to 68,893 (in Nov-23 to Jan-24). 

Incident numbers dropped by 29% during the pandemic period of Nov-20 to Jan-21 and have since increased each year but at a slowing rate, as shown in the following table: 

All other data, unless otherwise stated, is from Walnut Unlimited, the human understanding agency, part of Accenture Song.

Source: Walnut Omnibus, a nationally representative omnibus survey of 2,000 adults across England between 8th - 11th November 2024. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all England adults (aged 18+).

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