Gritters are a necessary challenge for drivers across the UK once the temperature starts to plummet; no-one wants to be without them, but no-one wants to be stuck behind them either.
There’ll be plenty of gritter lorries out on the roads this winter – but what should you do if you're the unlucky motorist that ends up following one?
Our simple winter driving guide is here to help, so let's get into the nitty gritty.
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Give yourself space behind the gritter
First of all, if you're behind a gritter, give yourself some space.
The salt crystals are sprayed from the rear of the wagon at quite a force – being up close to the lorry’s tail could produce plenty of unwanted and expensive to repair stone chips on your bonnet.
Be aware of reduced traction on icy roads
Although local authorities grit roads to help melt ice and improve grip levels, be aware that driving behind a gritter truck with a high concentration of road salt being deployed could also reduce adhesion levels.
Even when a road has been treated, you should continue to drive carefully. Salt helps prevent ice forming and can help melt existing ice, but treated roads can still be slippery in freezing conditions.
Is a gritted road safe to drive on?
Gritting doesn't guarantee that a road will be free from ice. Salt helps prevent ice forming and assists with melting existing ice, but drivers should still reduce their speed and leave extra space in freezing conditions. Stopping distances can be much longer on snow and ice.
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Leave extra room at junctions
Be mindful that the truck’s salt sprayer is driven off its engine.
That means as it pulls away from a junction the mass of salt that has collected in the dispenser will be thrown all over your car as it moves off.
It’s even more important to leave extra room at a junction than in normal driving if you value your car’s paintwork.
Watch out for their warning lights
There is a caveat, however. Gritters only generally distribute salt when their orange warning lights and ‘spreading’ signs are illuminated.
Look out for a gritter's warning lights and signs, which may indicate that it is carrying out winter treatment. Keep a safe distance and be prepared for the vehicle to slow down or begin spreading salt.
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Don't swerve or aggressively turn
If a gritter wagon approaches you coming the other way, don’t aggresively swerve or brake/accelerate.
Suddenly steering away from the truck’s path only increases your risk of crashing.
Be patient - leave more overtaking room
Take care around gritters. Don't be tempted to overtake.
If you're driving behind a gritter in snowy or icy conditions, be patient and keep a safe distance. Avoid overtaking unless it is clearly safe and legal to do so, as road conditions may be slippery and visibility could be reduced.
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To summarise our road gritter tips:
- Give yourself some space to protect your paintwork
- Be aware of reduced traction on the fresh particles
- Leave room at junctions for the sudden grit spray
- Look out for their orange warning lights
- Don't swerve if one is approaching from the opposite direction
- Be patient - don't overtake unless it's safe
- Leave more overtaking room if you really can't wait behind
Unfortunately, these tips are only reactive measures.
If you’re stuck behind a gritter, the only thing to do is be patient if you can’t pass. That way you won’t damage your car or put you and other road users at risk.
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