AA Urges Additional Caution Over Chilly Bank Holiday Weekend

With an increase in the number of cars on routes across the country and a dip in temperatures expected over the coming weekend, AA Ireland is calling on motorists to take extra precautions when driving.

Ahead of the last Bank Holiday of the year, the AA is urging those planning journeys by car over the weekend to allow additional travel time as an increase in traffic on major routes is expected, beginning from Friday afternoon. The expected increase in traffic appears likely to coincide with a drop in temperatures, potentially leading to some frosty conditions across the country according to the latest forecasts from Met Eireann.

“While weather conditions up until now have been relatively mild, Met Eireann has warned of a risk of cold weather and frosty conditions over the coming weekend. While many of us are accustomed to driving in these conditions, the danger cold weather and ice poses can be magnified on a long weekend as motorists are more likely to be driving on routes they are less familiar with,” Barry Aldworth, AA Spokesperson stated. “As the Bank Holiday also coincides with the school mid-term, many families will be planning trips across the country so we would encourage motorists to drive with extra caution over the coming days. Particularly, if driving in an area where road conditions are affected by the dip in temperatures, it’s important to allow extra stopping distance between yourself and any car in front of you and also to allow extra room when overtaking vulnerable road users.”

“With the clocks going back over the weekend, many of us will also find ourselves commuting in reduced daylight or darkness after work from next week on. This can be a dangerous time on the roads so we would encourage motorists to ensure their car is winter ready and that their lights are fully functional. Even during the darker nights, there will be a large number of cyclists and pedestrians on our roads and ensuring your lights are working could help you notice a vulnerable road user earlier and avoid a collision.”

With temperatures expected to drop over the weekend, the AA is also encouraging motorists to check the condition of their car battery ahead of the cold spell. Where a car battery is older or has a history of problems starting in the morning, these issues can be worsened by a cold weather spell, especially if the car is idle for a number of days.

“While we’re not expecting any extremes this weekend, it does look like we will get the first cold spell of the year – a time which always brings a significant increase in callouts relating to dead batteries to our AA Rescue team. If you’re planning any lengthy journeys over the weekend, now is the time to give your car a quick once-over. Check the conditions of your tyres and your lights before you head off in order to reduce your risk of being involved in an incident,” Aldworth added. “However, even if you’re planning on leaving the car in the driveway for the weekend, now is the time to make sure your vehicle is winter ready. If your battery is older or you have experienced difficulty starting your car in the morning, the combination of cold weather and a period of the car being unused can worsen matters and you could find yourself in a panic to get to work next Tuesday as your car won’t start.”