');$businessLinkMobileCount = $('.business-customer-mobile').length;if ($areYouBusinessCustomer.length && $businessLinkMobileCount == 0) {$mobileBusinessCustomerLink.html($areYouBusinessCustomer.html());$('.mobile-grey').append($mobileBusinessCustomerLink);}if (window.aa.helpers.cache.cachedElements.$window.width() <= mobileBreakpoint) {// console.log("smaller than breakpoint");$(".mobile-grey a, .nav-logo a ").attr("tabindex", "-1");$("#mainNavigation button, .mobile-tablet-menu-open ").attr("disabled", "disabled");$('#mainNavigation').addClass('mobile-main-nav').removeClass('desktop-main-nav');$('.mobile-grey').appendTo('.desktop-white');$('nav.aa-mega-menu').addClass('mobile-nav');if (!$('.scroller').length) {$('#site-header-yellow >.wrapper').wrap("
");}$('.mobile-tablet-menu').animate({ width: 'show' }, 30);$primaryHeadingCount = 0;$("#mainNavigation > ul > li.primary").each(function () {$primaryHeadingForMobile = $('
');$firstColumnOfMegaMenu = $(this).find("nav > div > ul:nth-child(1)");$anchor = $($(this).children()[0]);anchorHtmlText = $anchor.html();$primaryHeadingForMobile.html(anchorHtmlText);var primaryNavCount = $(".primary.childrens").length;$primaryHeadingCount = $('.primary-heading').length;if ($primaryHeadingCount < primaryNavCount) {$firstColumnOfMegaMenu.prepend($primaryHeadingForMobile);}$backLinkMobileCount = $('.backLink').length;if ($backLinkMobileCount < primaryNavCount) {$firstColumnOfMegaMenu.prepend('
');}});$('.main-nav').keydown(function (e) {if (e.which === 27 || e.keyCode === 27) {mobileCloseClick(e);$(".left.logo").focus();}});}else if (window.aa.helpers.cache.cachedElements.$window.width() > mobileBreakpoint) {$('.left.logo').animate({ width: 'show' }, 30);$('.mobile-grey').appendTo('.top-header-links');$('nav.aa-mega-menu').removeClass('mobile-nav');$("#mainNavigation button, .mobile-tablet-menu-open ").removeAttr("disabled");$('#mainNavigation').addClass('desktop-main-nav').removeClass('mobile-main-nav');$(".campaign-hero ").parents(':eq(2)').css('padding', '0')if ($('.scroller').length) {$('#site-header-yellow >.wrapper').unwrap("
");}$('.mobile-tablet-menu').animate({ width: 'hide' }, 0);$('button > hr').css({"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden"});$('.aa-mega-menu').css({"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden"});$('.right.mobile-grey').show();$('#mainNavigation > ul.aa-main-nav > li.primary > button').keydown(function (e) {if (e.which === 13 || e.keyCode === 13) { /// for ENTER pressconst boxes = document.querySelectorAll('.anchor');boxes.forEach((box, index) => {box.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');});//remove active mega menu from HOVER if open if ($currentHoverMenuItem) {var $primaryNavigationListItem = $currentHoverMenuItem.parent();$currentHoverMenuItem.removeClass('menu-active').css({"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden"});var $menuUnderLine = $primaryNavigationListItem.find('button > hr');$menuUnderLine.css({"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden"});$currentHoverMenuItem = null;}applyMenuHoverInEffects($(this).parent());$('#mainContent').removeAttr("style");$('#mainContent').css({"opacity": "0.5","height": "calc(100% - 225px)","width": "100%","visibility": "visible","background-color": "#000","position": "absolute",// "top": "134px","left": "0px","z-index": "1"});$('#mainContent').addClass('menu-base-transition');$currentActiveMenuItem = $(this).parent().find('.aa-mega-menu');$currentActiveMenuItem.toggleClass("menu-active");// $('.column .sub-menu.col').animate({ width: 'show' }, 300);}else if (e.which === 9 || e.keyCode === 9) { // for TAB pressif ($currentActiveMenuItem) {e.preventDefault();var $firstAnchorOfMegaMenu = $($currentActiveMenuItem.find('div > ul:first-child > li:first-child > a')[0]);$firstAnchorOfMegaMenu.focus();}}});//get all last anchor items from all mega menus and attach key down event for Tab transer$("#mainNavigation > ul > li > nav > div > ul:last-child li:last-child a").keydown(function (e) {if (e.which === 9 || e.keyCode === 9) {console.log("tabbed...");$currentActiveMenuItem.removeClass('menu-active');var $nextPrimayNavItem = $currentActiveMenuItem.parent();if ($nextPrimayNavItem) {applyMenuHoverOutEffects($nextPrimayNavItem);$('header#site-header-yellow').css('background', defaultBgColor).removeClass('bg-change');$nextPrimayNavItem.find('button')[0].focus();$currentActiveMenuItem = null;}else {//this will happen for very last anchor of last mega menu. there is no next menu item to focus to//so focus should be move to mainContent$('#mainContent').focus();}}});//for escape key- close the drop down menu if its open$('#mainNavigation > ul.aa-main-nav').keydown(function (e) {if (e.which === 27 || e.keyCode === 27) {if ($currentActiveMenuItem) {var $primaryNavListItem = $currentActiveMenuItem.parent()applyMenuHoverOutEffects($primaryNavListItem);$('header#site-header-yellow').css('background', defaultBgColor).removeClass('bg-change');$primaryNavListItem.find('button')[0].focus();$currentActiveMenuItem = null;}const boxes = document.querySelectorAll('.anchor');boxes.forEach((box, index) => {box.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');});}});//when user mouse hovers from outside menu area then menu needs to animate with set transitions defined in css//but as sson as it enter menu are we need to remove animation transitions which are enabled. so differnt animation menu can be opened quickly$('#mainNavigation > ul.aa-main-nav').hover(function () {removeAnimation = true;}, function () {$('body').removeClass('notransition');removeAnimation = false;//this condition is added because after multiple ESC and TAB press somehow UL mouseout event was triggering and//it was causing background to set default yellow colorif ($currentActiveMenuItem == null) {$('header#site-header-yellow').css('background', defaultBgColor).removeClass('bg-change');}});}if ($('#mainNavigation').hasClass('desktop-main-nav')) {$('.desktop-main-nav > ul.aa-main-nav > li.primary').hover(function () {// console.log("applying hover effects");$currentHoverMenuItem = $(this).find('.aa-mega-menu');//remove menu-active class from active mega menu from keyboard if open if ($currentActiveMenuItem) {var $primaryNavigationListItem = $currentActiveMenuItem.parent();$currentActiveMenuItem.removeClass('menu-active').removeAttr("style");var $menuUnderLine = $primaryNavigationListItem.find('button > hr');$menuUnderLine.css({"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden"});//If hover element and active keyboard element is not same then set active elment to null . giving preference to hoverif ($currentActiveMenuItem[0] != $currentHoverMenuItem[0])$currentActiveMenuItem = null;}applyMenuHoverInEffects(this);if (removeAnimation) {setTimeout(function () {$('body').addClass('notransition');}, 500);removeAnimation = false;}$('#mainContent').removeAttr("style");$('#mainContent').css({ "visibility": "visible" });$('#mainContent').addClass('menu-base-transition');}, function () {$currentHoverMenuItem = null;applyMenuHoverOutEffects(this);});}applyMenuHoverInEffects = function ($primaryNavElement) {// console.log("In applyMenuHoverInEffects");$this = $primaryNavElement;var $megaMenu = $($this).find('.aa-mega-menu');$megaMenu.css({"opacity": "1","visibility": "visible"});var $menuUnderLine = $($this).find('button > hr');$menuUnderLine.css({"opacity": "1","visibility": "visible"});//change header background with css transition class$('header#site-header-yellow').css('background', '#fff').addClass('bg-change');$('header#site-header-yellow').addClass('menu-base-transition');}applyMenuHoverOutEffects = function ($primaryNavElement) {$this = $primaryNavElement;var $megaMenu = $($this).find('.aa-mega-menu');if (window.aa.helpers.cache.cachedElements.$window.width() > mobileBreakpoint) {$megaMenu.css({"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden"});var $menuUnderLine = $($this).find('button > hr');$menuUnderLine.css({"opacity": "0","visibility": "hidden"});$('#mainContent').css({"visibility": "hidden",});}}$('header#site-header-yellow .main-nav ul.aa-main-nav > li').each(function () {if ($(this).find(".aa-mega-menu").length) {$(this).addClass('childrens')}});function mobileCloseClick(e) {// console.log("Mobille close called");e.preventDefault();$('body').removeClass("fixed-position");$('body').removeClass('mmenu-opened');$('header#site-header-yellow .main-nav').animate({ right: '-100vw' }, 0);$('header#site-header-yellow.mobilemenu-active').animate({ right: '-100vw' }, 0);$('header#site-header-yellow.mobilemenu-active .scroller').animate({ right: '-100vw' }, 0);setTimeout(function () { $('#site-header-yellow').removeClass('mobilemenu-active') }, 0);$('.left.logo').animate({ width: 'show' }, 0);$('.mobile-tablet-menu').animate({ width: 'show' }, 0);$('.right.mobile-grey').show();$('#mainContent').removeAttr("style");const mobilemenuButton = document.querySelectorAll('.mobile-tablet-menu');mobilemenuButton[0].setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');const mobilemenuButtonOpen = document.querySelectorAll('.mobile-tablet-menu-open');mobilemenuButtonOpen[0].setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');$('.main-nav').css('min-height', 'auto');if ($('.aa-mega-menu').hasClass('secondlevelOpen')) {$('.aa-mega-menu').stop().animate({ 'right': '-100vw' }, 0);primaryItem.parent('li').siblings('li').removeClass('hide-menu').removeClass('activated');$('.aa-mega-menu').removeClass('secondlevelOpen');}$(".scroller").css("height", "100vh");$(".left.logo a").focus();$(".mobile-grey a, .nav-logo a ").attr("tabindex", "-1");$("#mainNavigation button, .mobile-tablet-menu-open ").attr("disabled", "disabled");setTimeout(function () {primaryItem.parent('li').find('.anchor').removeClass('hide-menu');primaryItem.parent('li').siblings('li').removeClass('hide-menu').removeClass('activated');}, 0);}$('.mobile-tablet-menu').click(function (e) {e.preventDefault();$('body').addClass("fixed-position");$(".mobile-grey a, .nav-logo a ").removeAttr("tabindex");$("#mainNavigation button, .mobile-tablet-menu-open ").removeAttr("disabled");$('header#site-header-yellow .main-nav').animate({ right: '0' }, 300);$('.scroller').animate({ right: '0' }, 300);$('.left.logo').animate({ width: 'hide' }, 300);$('.mobile-tablet-menu').animate({ width: 'hide' }, 0);if ($('.scroller').length) {$('#site-header-yellow').addClass('mobilemenu-active');}var primaryHeight = $('.main-nav').height() + 120;$('.main-nav').css('min-height', 'auto');const mobilemenuButton = document.querySelectorAll('.mobile-tablet-menu');mobilemenuButton[0].setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');const mobilemenuButtonOpen = document.querySelectorAll('.mobile-tablet-menu-open');mobilemenuButtonOpen[0].setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');$(".scroller").css("height", (Math.max(document.documentElement.clientHeight, window.innerHeight || 0) - $("#site-header-yellow").offset().top));$(".left.menu-logo a").focus();});$('.mobile-tablet-menu-open').click(function (e) {// changes for CD-50114 startmobileCloseClick(e);// changes for CD-50114 end});var primaryItem = $('li.primary.childrens > button');var backlink = $('li.backLink > button');if (window.aa.helpers.cache.cachedElements.$window.width() <= mobileBreakpoint) {primaryItem.on('click', function (e) {console.log('primaryItem.on(click, function (e) ---');e.preventDefault();var megaHeight = $(this).next('.aa-mega-menu').height() + 120;$(this).parent('li').find('nav.aa-mega-menu.mobile-nav').stop().animate({ right: '0' }, 300);$(this).parent('li').removeClass('hide-menu');$(this).addClass('hide-menu');$(this).parent('li').siblings('li').addClass('hide-menu').removeClass('activated');$(this).parent('li').addClass('activated');$(this).next('.aa-mega-menu').addClass('secondlevelOpen');$(this).next('.aa-mega-menu').css('height', megaHeight);$('.main-nav').css('min-height', 'auto');$('.right.mobile-grey').hide();$('.column .sub-menu.col').animate({ width: 'show' }, 300);// $(".backLink button").focus();$(".left.menu-logo a").focus();});backlink.on('click', function (e) {e.stopPropagation();$(".secondlevelOpen").stop().animate({ width: 'hide' }, 300);$(this).parent('li').parent().parent().parent('.aa-mega-menu').stop().animate({ right: '-100vw' }, 300);$(this).parent('li').find('nav.aa-mega-menu.mobile-nav').stop().animate({ right: '-100vw' }, 300);setTimeout(function () {$('.right.mobile-grey').show();}, 300);$('.column .sub-menu.col').animate({ width: 'hide' }, 300);setTimeout(function () {primaryItem.parent('li').find('.anchor').removeClass('hide-menu');primaryItem.parent('li').siblings('li').removeClass('hide-menu').removeClass('activated');}, 300);$(this).parent('li').parent().parent().parent('.aa-mega-menu').removeClass('secondlevelOpen');$(this).next('.aa-mega-menu').css('height', 'auto');var primaryHeight = $('.main-nav').height() + 120;$('.main-nav').css('min-height', primaryHeight);});};window.aa.MenuSetupCompleted = true;}
Skip to main content [Accesskey 'S'] Go to home page [Accesskey '1']Are you a business customer?
- Broken down?
- Route Planner
- Help and support
Crossing a river at a ford
They're not always safe to cross – here's how to play it safe
With more than 2,000 fords in the UK, chances are you'll come across one at some point. It may seem like a simple short-cut – after all there’s a road running through it – but that doesn't mean the river is always safe to cross at a ford or watersplash.
Depth and flow rate can change particularly quickly after rain.
Twelve of our top 20 flood-related breakdown sites are at fords, and our number one flood accident hotspot is the ford on Rufford Lane in Newark, Nottinghamshire – with 96 flood-related rescues in the five years from 2009.
Weigh up the risks
Most fords don't have gates or barriers that can be closed to stop you trying to cross when the river's impassable, so:
- Don’t assume a ford that was safe to cross yesterday will be safe to cross today.
- Go the long way round if you’re not sure how deep the water is.
- Don't follow your sat nav blindly across water.
- Check the depth gauge – avoid water more than 10cm (4 inches) deep – and pay attention to warning signs/lights.
- Remember that a foot of flowing water is enough to move the average family car – six inches can knock you off your feet.
- Drive slowly and steadily – don’t make a bow wave.
- It only takes an egg cupful of water sucked into your engine to wreck it.
- Test your brakes as soon as you can afterwards.
18 January 2017
More seasonal driving advice
- Spring
- Summer
- Autumn
- Winter
- Winter checklist
- Strong wind
- Countryside driving tips
- Fog
- Flood water
- Escape from a sinking car
- Muddy car parks
- How to wash a car
- Car heater issues
Buy breakdown cover
We get more people back on the road than anyone else
Buy now