Tips for driving and power cuts in winter

Snow on the summit at Te Haroto, on the Napier-Taupo Rd in Hawke's Bay. Photo/Duncan Brown

If you are thinking of heading out onto the snowy and icy roads, try to avoid getting in your car. If you have to, drive slowly and carefully, says the Automobile Association.

AA tips for driving in poor, wintry conditions are:
Check your route is free from slips and closures.
Don't rush - slow down and allow plenty of time to reach your destination.
Ensure your car is roadworthy and keep at least half a tank of fuel in your vehicle in case you get diverted onto another route or you are forced to turn back.
Be prepared for snow and carry tyre chains that you know how to fit and use.
Go back to basics - mirror and blind spot checks, indicating three seconds ahead of turning and leaving a four-second following distance.
Drive defensively - scan the road 12 seconds ahead of you and ensure you can smoothly stop in the distance you can see.
Ensure you can see and be seen - use your headlights correctly.

AA Driving School general manager Roger Venn says icy, slippery road conditions coupled with poor visibility tend to cause a spike in crashes.

"In poor conditions like these maintaining control of your vehicle is most important and much of that comes down to going back to the basics of driving," says Venn.

"There is an increased chance that other drivers may make mistakes on the road, so it's about keeping that in the front of your mind and adjusting your own driving accordingly," he says.

For more details on safe winter driving go to: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/safer-winter-driving/docs/safer-winter-driving.pdf

The Electricity Retailers Association has also issued tips on what to do if the power goes out.
Keep a torch and spare batteries handy.
Ensure that you have at least one telephone that does not rely on electricity for operation.
Ensure that an alternate fuel is always available for cooking.
Normal household appliances such as fridges and ovens may not work, and food could spoil faster. Eat perishable foods, for example bread and meat first, as they spoil faster than non-perishable food. Eat canned foods last. Stay clear of fallen power lines or damaged electrical equipment and treat them as live at all times.
Watch out for falling tree branches as these can cause damage to power lines.
Avoid possible damage to electrical appliances (in the unlikely event there is a power surge when the power is restored) by switching off appliances at the wall.
If you have an electric garage door, prepare how you can gain entry to the garage another way so you have access to your vehicle.
Tie down objects on your property that may be impacted by the predicted gale force winds (eg. trampolines).
Take care if you are driving in the predicted weather and delay trips if possible. Do not drive through floodwaters.
If you are on tank water, ensure you have plenty of bottled water available.
If life or property is at risk, call 111.

The New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management's website has useful information on how to prepare emergency plans and kits www.getthru.govt.nz and on Twitter @NZGetThru for up to the minute information.