MOTORISTS are being urged to slow down in the rain ahead of the predicted arrival of Storm Barbara on Friday.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for high winds in the north from 9am on Friday, December 23, until 9am on Saturday, December 24 December, with heavy rain also expected.

Highways England is making the warning, after almost 3,000 people were killed or seriously injured when driving in the rain last year.

Stuart Lovatt, road safety spokesman at Highways England, said: “We’re urging drivers to stay safe by responding to the changing conditions on the road during Storm Barbara.

“Many people will be planning long journeys over the next few days to see friends and relatives during Christmas but it’s vital they slow down during stormy weather.

“Rain makes it harder for tyres to grip the road and harder for drivers to see ahead – significantly increasing the chances of being involved in a crash.”

Recent Highways England statistics show that people are 30 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the roads in rain than in snow, and that travelling too fast for the current conditions was identified as a factor in one in nine road deaths in Britain last year.

Besides the risks associated with driving too fast in the rain, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes during high winds, so drivers are urged to slow down and avoid using exposed sections of road if possible.

Highways England warns that even driving within the speed limit in wet weather could be dangerous if drivers don’t allow extra space between them and the vehicle in front.

It generally takes at least twice as long to stop on a wet road, and drivers should slow down, keep well back and ease off the accelerator in wet weather.

In total, 197 people lost their lives on roads during rainfall in Great Britain last year and 2,721 suffered a serious injury, compared to 14 deaths and 153 serious injuries during fog, and two deaths and 95 serious injuries during snow.

Highways England is aiming to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on England’s motorways and major A roads by 40 per cent over the next three years through road improvements, safety campaigns and other initiatives.

A new road safety video by award-winning photographer Nadav Kander has been released, and is available at youtu.be/KMHRmsyAKes