Winter driving for HGV and van drivers: the checks that matter before the first frost
6 minute read · 2026-11-01
Every winter the same thing happens: the first cold morning catches a few drivers out. Here is the short list that matters, for anybody who drives an HGV or a van for a living.
Stopping distances on ice
The Highway Code is blunt about it: on icy roads, stopping distances can be up to ten times greater than on a dry road, and in wet weather at least double. A loaded artic that needs a long distance to stop in summer needs a great deal more on a frosty morning. Leave more room than feels natural, brake gently, and use the lowest gear you can on downhill stretches.
Before you move
- Clear every window, mirror and light, not a letterbox in the windscreen. The Highway Code also asks you to clear snow from the roof, so it does not slide onto the windscreen when you brake or onto the vehicle behind.
- Screenwash with antifreeze, and a spare bottle in the cab. Salt spray on the motorway empties a reservoir quickly.
- Tyres: tread and pressures, and look for cuts from frost damaged roads.
- Lights: every one working and clean. Short days mean most of the shift is in the dark.
- On air braked vehicles, follow your operator's routine for draining the air tanks: moisture in the system can freeze.
Your walkaround check does not change in winter, but the things that fail do. Take the extra five minutes.
Before you leave the yard
Check the Met Office weather warnings and the National Highways and traffic news for your route. If the warning is red, the advice is not to travel unless essential, and a sensible transport office will agree. If you are told to go in conditions you believe are unsafe, say so and write it down: your safety and other road users' come before a delivery slot.
In the cab, in case you are stuck
- Warm clothing, a hat and gloves, and boots you can walk in
- Food that keeps, and water
- A charged phone and a charging cable
- A torch, a high visibility jacket and a de-icer and scraper
- Any medication you take
Your hours still count
Being stuck in a queue for three hours is still time on the tachograph and still time you are working. Record it properly, and talk to your transport office before you run out of hours rather than after. Nobody should be pushed to drive tired on an icy road to make up for a jam.
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