Wolverhampton named among UK's most dangerous cities for winter driving as snow forecast

Wolverhampton has been named one of the most dangerous cities in Britain for winter driving, as forecasters predict the first snowfall of the season could arrive in parts of the UK this week.

New research has ranked Wolverhampton as the fifth most dangerous city in the country for motorists during the colder months, with drivers potentially facing hazardous conditions as temperatures begin to fall.

The findings come as snow has been forecast for parts of Scotland this week, just days after two powerful storms battered Britain.

Research carried out by Ripe Classic Car Insurance analysed 39 British cities to identify where drivers face the most challenging winter road conditions.

The Winter Driving Index examined eight factors, including historical winter collisions, road conditions, snowfall, frost and rainfall.

Each city was given a score out of 80, with lower scores indicating more difficult driving conditions.

Wolverhampton received a score of just 33.99, placing it fifth nationally and making it one of the worst-performing cities in the West Midlands.

Neighbouring Birmingham fared even worse, ranking third in the country with a score of 29.65, while Coventry also featured in the top 10, placing tenth with 37.73.

The findings suggest motorists across the Black Country and wider West Midlands could face particularly challenging journeys when freezing temperatures, snow and ice arrive.

Bradford was named Britain's most dangerous city for winter driving, scoring just 23.77 out of 80.

The Yorkshire city experiences an average of 8.57 days with snow lying on the ground each winter, alongside almost 29 days of frost.

Of the 301 winter collisions recorded in Bradford, 78 occurred during adverse weather, while 150 involved poor road surfaces.

Glasgow came second with a score of 27.43, with more than half of its 230 winter collisions involving poor road surfaces.

Birmingham completed the top three, recording 792 winter collisions, substantially more than either Bradford or Glasgow.

Of those incidents, 172 occurred during adverse weather, while 312 involved poor road surfaces.

The city also experiences an average of 29 frost days and 7.24 days of lying snow each winter, with more than half of its recorded winter collisions occurring in darkness.

Other cities appearing in the top 10 included Preston, Leicester, Stoke-on-Trent, Norwich and Dundee.

The research comes as forecasters warn of the possibility of snow and freezing conditions affecting parts of Britain as November progresses.

While the latest predictions suggest Scotland could see the first snowfall of the season this week, the findings highlight the potential dangers facing motorists further south when winter weather arrives.

Drivers in Wolverhampton and across the Black Country are being urged to take extra care during cold weather, particularly on untreated roads and during early morning and evening journeys when temperatures are lower.

Motorists are also advised to check weather forecasts before travelling, allow extra time for journeys and ensure their vehicles are prepared for potentially icy conditions.