It comes every year, the first snow. And for many just as surprising every autumn. When news meets Annar Engell in the center of Drammen, he brushes the car roof for the second time. – The first thing I did this morning was to shovel snow from the car. Now a new layer has already formed, and I have to do it again, he says. On Monday, large parts of Norway woke up to white gardens and roads for the first time this winter season, which also means cars covered in snow. Most had already changed to tires adapted to the winter, but the police see that there are many other mistakes on the roads – especially when it comes to brushing away snow from roofs and bonnets. From white to black – There are many people who don’t even take the time to scratch the windscreen properly, so we see a bit of everything. It is important not to have snow on the hood and roof. If you stop suddenly or there is a gust of wind, you get everything in the windscreen, says UP chief in the South-East police district, Karin Walin. Because then it won’t just be white, but completely black. – It is very dangerous in traffic, whether you are driving at high speed, or in an area where you should be aware of pedestrians, says Walin. A car has driven into a brick house in Trøgstad in Indre Østfold. It is one of several accidents that the emergency services have responded to on Monday morning. Two trains have run out at Rykkinn. A bus has skidded off the road on the way up to Tonsenhagen in Oslo. A car has run into a lamppost in Stridsklev in Porsgrunn. The car is in the middle of the road, but the traffic is passing by. A bus has run off the road at Mortensrud in Oslo. The picture shows a queue in Asker on the E18. Truck across the Ytre ringvei, between Alna and Tveita. The picture is from Sandefjordsveien. – Take breaks The police see daily examples of motorists who do not spend enough time in the morning before driving out. According to the regulations, everything covered by the windscreen wipers must be free of ice and snow. – You must have an unobstructed view and can receive a simplified notice of NOK 3,700 if you do not. If it is extra serious, you can be reported, and in very special cases also lose the note, says the UP manager. She also emphasizes that the license plate must be visible and that the front and rear lights must not be covered in snow either. – On days like Monday it is difficult to keep the car clean, as it snows all the time. But then it is actually important to take a few breaks, and brush the car if necessary. UP leader Karin Walin, here in more summery surroundings, warns motorists. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news Speed and braking distance And the even more obvious: – With the current we have now, we have to consider that the braking distance will be longer. Slow down a little, and brake a little gently if something should happen, asks Karin Walin. Jannicke Rikheim switched to winter tires on Sunday, just before the heavy snowfall on Monday. – You have to look out of all car routes when there is so much snow. I removed about 15 centimeters of snow on the roof in the morning. It’s important, because if I come to a sudden stop, the snow can crash into the windscreen, if I haven’t done that, says Rikheim. Jannicke Rikheim changed the tires on Sunday. – It was at the last minute, she says. Photo: Karoline Stangenes / news These are the tire requirements From Wednesday 1 November to and including the first Sunday after Easter 2nd, it is mandatory to have tires adapted to winter in Norway. In Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, the order applies from 16 October to 30 April, states the Norwegian Road Administration. The requirement is that there must be at least 3 millimeters of tread depth in the tyres. The mandatory period is the same for studded tyres. You can drive on studless winter tires all year round, while studded tires can only be used during the winter period. In the summer months, the tread depth on the tires must be a minimum of 1.6 millimetres. If you are driving with a trailer, the tread depth of the trailer’s tires is the same as that of the vehicle. Five tips for better winter visibility All cars should have a proper snow broom and ice scraper that is large enough and sharp. If you want to avoid scratching the panes when scraping ice, it’s a good idea to push the scraper away from you. Do not drag it back with you, as dirt and sand will be scraped against the window. Always turn off the windshield wipers when parking. The wipers can freeze to the window when you are parked. When you start the car, the wipers also start, but since they are stuck, the wiper motor is overloaded. Some cars have safety systems that prevent anything from breaking, but in the worst case scenario the motor and the mechanics of the wipers can be damaged or wear unnecessarily. When you scratch the windscreen, it is a good idea to lift the wipers to check if they have frozen. When you first start brushing and scraping the car free of ice, also remove snow from the lights, roof and bonnet. Source: NAF
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Pattern depth on tyres, scraping of windscreen and brushing of snow from car roof – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
