Motorists have been warned to take care on the roads over the holidays as snow has been forecast.
Some parts of the country are predicted to see more than a foot of snow on Christmas Day and into Boxing Day.
Then, from December 27, heavy snow is expected across most of Wales along with western England, the north west, and southern Scotland.
When the snow falls it can take a heavy toll on transport, which has lead to a road safety organisation warning motorists to take care.
GEM Motoring Assist has encouraged drivers to reduce the chance of risk, delay and difficulty by remembering a few safety tips.
The first thing to ask yourself is whether you need to drive at all. The easiest way to avoid trouble is to stay put, so if a journey is not essential or a trip can be postponed, it would be a good idea to do so.
If you do have to travel, you should take a cold weather survival kit with you as it could take services longer to reach you if you breakdown or become stranded. A few essentials include extra warm clothes, plenty of water and food, jump leads, a first aid kit and a shovel.
If possible, bring some sand or gravel as this can be used to provide extra grip if your wheels are spinning.
It’s also a good idea to give your car a once over, either by yourself or ask a professional to do so, to make sure it’s in good condition before the bad weather hits. This can include checking your tyres aren’t worn or cut and your battery is working.
A GEM spokesperson said: “This could prove to be a particularly challenging Christmas and New Year, with severe weather threatening to make travel extremely difficult.
“We urge families who are planning journeys to have a plan B in place and be ready to postpone a journey if conditions require. In that way, you’re avoiding a lot of potential trouble for yourself, and ensuring you won’t be putting additional strain on emergency and recovery crews, who are sure to be at full stretch in the coming days.
“Ensuring that you and your car are properly prepared for winter can make a big difference towards keeping you safe on the roads.”
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