Departure by car for rest. What should we remember?
The holidays are coming and it is worth making sure that the car that we are going to transport to the holiday destination is fully functional. You should also remember the rules for the safe transportation of sports equipment and the basic rules for driving in winter conditions.
In winter, drivers struggle with a lack of traction. Its loss means longer stopping distances and less control. 
over the vehicle and increased risk of collision. It should be understood that the right winter tires significantly improve traction and can reduce the braking distance by up to 30 meters. That is why, especially during the holidays, it is so important to equip your car with good winter tires. Our safety on the roads largely depends on them.
Monitor the condition of the car
The list of necessary preparations should also include a periodic inspection of the car: suspension, shock absorbers and brakes. This will allow us to detect in advance any malfunctions in the operation of our vehicle that could contribute to a collision on the route. Don't forget about lighting and battery management. We also need to make sure that the rugs are doing their job. Before you go on a trip, it is advisable to make sure that they do not freeze to the glass. We must also not forget to check the coolant, oil level, fuel filters and other elements that ensure that we will not be afraid that our car will refuse to obey at the most unexpected moment.
Winter car equipment
It is also worth taking care of the winter equipment of the car, such as ice scrapers, windshield defrosters and snow chains. Sometimes a shovel can also come in handy, as well as connecting cables and a towline. - First of all, we must rest when we sit behind the wheel. We also have to remember to refuel the car before leaving, because we do not know what conditions will prevail on the road and how long we will have to drive. At first, this may seem inappropriate, but for the same reason, it is advisable to take a warm blanket and a thermos of tea with you into the car,” says Yaroslav Gnatovsky, deputy commissioner of the Prevention and Traffic Department of the Main Police Department.
Driving technique
However, checking the condition of the car and investing in good tires is not all, because skilful driving in winter is one of the main skills that every driver should own. Common sense and adapting speed to road conditions are the key to safety.
Do not make sudden movements of the steering wheel while driving, overtaking or overtaking. When driving with chains, unlike the tires themselves, drive through the snow, avoiding the tracks of other vehicles. Starting and climbing maneuvers should also be performed calmly, without excessive acceleration. When we burrow into a snowdrift, we also need to smoothly increase the power as we exit. Keep in mind that rapidly spinning wheels on snow can spin the surface and create a layer of ice, which will make the ride even more difficult. In such a situation, a smooth ride on the half-clutch works best, while in the event of slipping of the front wheels, the driver should remove his foot from the gas pedal, reduce the rotation of the steering wheel and smoothly perform it again. .
Transportation of skis and snowboards
Many of us going into the winter madness on the slopes will want to carry sports equipment such as skis and snowboards by car. “It should be remembered that any heavy object left in the car, after a sharp braking, will begin to move sluggishly around the cabin and will be a mortal danger,” warns Deputy Commissioner Yaroslav Gnatovsky. Even if we rarely ski, it is worth buying a closed box or a special holder that can be mounted on the roof. One of the most famous are the longitudinal jaws lined with rubber pads. If you buy a box, you can also use it at other times to transport, for example, suitcases. These accessories mainly differ in workmanship, power and, of course, price. Prices for boxes start at around PLN 500, and ski holders can be purchased for PLN 150.
It is important that the ski accessories are installed according to the instructions and do not come loose while riding. It is also important that the equipment transported by us does not protrude beyond the outlines of the vehicle.
How long will the journey take?– Anyone who goes on a trip in winter should take into account the appropriate amount of time. We should not set a strict time frame in which we must rest, it may happen that there will be difficulties on the route, and then we must remain calm, - comments Deputy Commissioner Yaroslav Gnatovsky.
Therefore, there is no unequivocal answer for how long the journey will take, but it can be estimated approximately. The study covered the approximate time it takes drivers to reach three popular mountain towns: Zakopane, Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba. The starting points were Wroclaw, Warsaw, Opole and Szczecin.
Wroclaw
Drivers from Wroclaw who do not want to spend long hours behind the wheel should consider going to Karpacz. Access to this town takes about 2 hours, during which motorists will overcome about 124 kilometers. More time, because a little more than 3 hours you need to book a trip to Szklarska Poreba. A full tank of fuel will come in handy for drivers who want to visit Zakopane: the road to the winter capital of Poland will take more than 4 hours.
Warsaw
The Varsovians who travel to Zakopane are in the best position: they will spend about 5 hours and 40 minutes on the road, more time, almost 6,5 hours, must be reserved for those traveling to Szklarska Poreba or Karpacz.
Opole
Residents of Opole take an average of 2 hours 42 minutes to get to Karpacz. The situation for people traveling to Szklarska Poręba is similar - the average time they spend on the road is around 2 hours 47 minutes. In the case of a route leading to Zakopane, drivers must consider a longer journey of less than 3,5 hours.
Szczecin
Residents of Szczecin planning a trip to the mountains should prepare for a longer driving time. The trip to Karpacz or Szklarska Poreba will take about 5 hours and 20 minutes. If it's a holiday in Zakopane, you'll have to reckon with a much longer trip. Getting to Zakopane is almost 8,5 hours spent on the road.
Time to get to popular mountain towns from major cities in Poland
Cityrun | Citygoal | Timedirections | distance |
Wroclaw | Zakopane | 4 13 h min | 370 km |
Wroclaw | Carpathian | 2 hours | 124 km |
Wroclaw | Shklarska Poremba | 3 5 h min | 132 km |
Warsaw | Zakopane | 5 40 h min | 456 km |
Warsaw | Carpathian | 6 23 h min | 476 km |
Warsaw | Shklarska Poremba | 6 28 h min | 480 km |
Opole | Zakopane | 3 21 h min | 288 km |
Opole | Carpathian | 2 42 h min | 203 km |
Opole | Shklarska Poremba | 2 47 h min | 211 km |
Szczecin | Zakopane | 8 22 h min | 748 km |
Szczecin | Carpathian | 5 20 h min | 402 km |
Szczecin | Shklarska Poremba | 5 22 h min | 405 km |
Data: Korkowo.pl
The traffic data was prepared by the website Korkowo.pl, which provides up-to-date information on traffic jams on Polish roads. The analysis included GPS data from Yanosik and Fotis Mobile devices installed in vehicles traveling in Poland from 06:00 to 22:00 on January 15-16, 2013.
