THE worst of the winter weather may have given Jersey a miss this time, but the Institute of Advanced Motorists has put together an at-a-glance guide to driving and riding in adverse weather.

The IAM said that five main things drivers should be aware of when facing the full range of the British winter are:

Fresh snow: Get your speed right (not too fast to lose control, and not too slow to risk losing momentum). Create lots of room around you and do everything smoothly – braking, steering, accelerating. Start gently from stationary, avoiding high revs.

Heavy rain: Watch for the shiny patches that are lying water. Give yourself a longer gap to other traffic, and be ready to slow down when you need to. Keep the demister working. Don’t soak pedestrians by running through puddles.

Flooding: Lower your speed right down and choose the most shallow route available, using the middle of the road if that’s where it is and you can do so. Use a low gear to keep revs high but control speed by slipping the clutch (and beware that water could enter the exhaust, so keep the revs up).

Fog: The lead vehicle in a queue will clear pockets of fog, potentially deceiving vehicles following that the conditions are clearer than they are. Don’t use full beam. Use wipers on the outside and the demister inside to keep your visibility as clear as possible.

High winds: Give yourself more space, with plenty of distance between you and the vehicle in front; take particular care when passing large vehicles and motorcycles, and be ready for side winds at gaps in buildings or as you come out of a cutting. Cyclists are particularly vulnerable to side winds.