Now is the time of year… for caroling and….bad roads and even worse traffic accidents. This might sound very unappetizing to hear, but the months between October and January, specifically the time for festivities in many Western countries, are the time when most road accidents will occur. Winters are particularly harsh on motorists and motor vehicles. The roads are bad, the weather conditions worse, and if a car isn't maintained properly, it can give the driver a miserable time, and worse could be quite dangerous too.

The roads and highways are maintained by civic and national authorities, whose job it is to keep them as safe as possible with precautions. During winters, it is the responsibility of the Department of Transport to salt and grit highways and trunks roads. Precautions such as these are more important on roads where large vehicles (trucks and goods carriers) ply. In cities, local civic councils perform these jobs on a regular basis. However, in rural areas and other interior regions these services might not be carried out by the authorities and neighborhoods may have to arrange things for themselves

Road gritting depends a lot on the temperature and thus often there are mistakes. This process happens overnight, where teams of gritters are deployed depending on the weather and requirements. Usually, gritting in enough to make the roads safe, but sometimes other measures need to be taken. Many times, roads will be gritted and yet accidents will occur. When this happens, the agency or the civic authority or both could be held responsible, if situations required them to take precautionary measures and they still failed. At such times, drivers who meet with accidents can file a personal injury claim against the responsible agencies and claim compensation for both – their injuries, and damages to property.

However, weather conditions in the UK are often impossible to predict, and therefore at times it may not be their fault. At times it may even be the driver's fault, because he doesn't take all the precautions required before setting off on such a night. When you file a personal injury claim against civic authorities for such an accident, it is very important that you also not be in the wrong. Thus, there are a few precautions you must take:

1. Travel only if you have to, and use public transportation as far as possible
2. Dress appropriately.
3. Take stock of weather before leaving – read the newspapers, hear local announcements on the radio or television
4. Ensure that your car has been checked and is safe for this type of weather. Speak to a professional about how to care for your engine, tire pressure and general driving guidance.
5. Ensure wipers are working efficiently. Also ensure you have solutions to keep your mirrors from frosting.