MORE motorists lose their lives or are seriously injured during the winter months than at any other time of the year. While things like sound tyres and ample fuel are important to check before setting off, winter motorists should also address their driving technique.

Annually, around 250,000 road accidents are reported in Great Britain. More than a third of those incidents tend to take place during wet weather conditions when visibility and road surface quality are poor.

Tips for staying safe include:

* Keep your speed down for safety and avoid water splashing under your bonnet. Rain can cause problems with electronic control units of almost all petrol engines, affecting engine management systems, coils, distributors and leads.

* Beware of aquaplaning. If you are driving at speed, you may experience a build up of water between the tyre and the road surface. In these cases, your tyre loses contact with the road and is simply sliding forwards on a thin film of water. Ease off the accelerator but do not brake or change direction: if you are aquaplaning, you will have no control over either.

* Check the condition of your wiper-blades. Look for splits and perishing rubber.

* Use dipped headlights in conditions of poor visibility.

* To help clear the curtain of spray from other vehicles, select the correct windscreen wiper speed.

Of the 2,800 vehicles to be caught out in the fog last year, 700 of the casualties which followed were of a fatal or serious nature. So, ...

* When approaching a junction, open your window and turn off the car stereo, so that you can hear the approach of other traffic.

* When you see fog, turn on your headlights immediately, but keep the beam dipped. (Up to 50 per cent of light can be lost through muddy headlamps, so make sure they are clean).

* Slow down and abide by the warning lights on the roadside. If they're on, don't speed up even if visibility improves, remember fog is often patchy and drifts.

* Keep your distance: if you can see the rear lights of the vehicle ahead you're probably too close.

* Don't accelerate to move away from a vehicle that is too close behind. If you have to slow down suddenly, use your hazard lights to warn following traffic.

* Make full use of windscreen wipers and de-mister systems.

* Don't dazzle other drivers with fog lamps. Only use high intensity rear fog lamps in extreme conditions (when visibility is below 100m). It is an offence to use fog lamps at any other time.

* Use your horn to warn other traffic of your presence.