INSURERS are bracing themselves for an influx of claims after prolonged wintry conditions have seen a spate of accidents, making the period one of the busiest on record.

For the second year running, Darlington-based insurance broker BiB has seen a rise in activity.

The problem has been made worse by British motorists’ relative inexperience of driving in slippery conditions and their reliance on automotive technology such as ABS.

BiB claims manager Neale Wytcherley said: “The snow and bad weather last year led to us having one of its busiest claims periods ever.

“People don’t like travelling in the snow and in Britain not many of us have a lot of experience doing it. But many of us have to make a commute every day to work.”

He said drivers of off-road vehicles often crashed because they were led to believe their vehicles were invincible in the snow. In fact, because of their greater weight, they were much more difficult to stop than smaller vehicles.

Mr Wytcherley urged drivers to ensure they had the right accident cover. “No one wants to have an accident, but with the right policy the experience can be just that little bit more bearable.”