Winter driving can present troublesome challenges for eve the most diligent of drivers. Snow and ice make driving more difficult and sometimes even dangerous. Special care must be given to your car before the winter season appears and extra caution must be used once winter has invaded the roadways.
When driving in the snow, do everything slowly and gently. Even if you maintain control of your car, not everyone else will. So, don't get lulled into a false sense of security. Remember, in the snow, tires just barely grab the road. Accelerate, turn and brake slowly and gently. To do this, you have to anticipate turns and stops, slowing down enough to make turns before you get to them, leaving plenty of distance between you and other cars.
Slippery roads - are the biggest hazard of winter driving - caused by ice, slushy snow or rain. Roads are especially slick following the first rain after a dry spell since oil and grease have built up on the roads.
Remember the distance it takes to bring your car to a stop on dry pavement. In winter conditions, allow at least three times that distance to reach a full stop and avoid skidding. This means your safe distance behind the car in front of you should be three times as far away from the stoplight or corner where you turn. Reduce the danger of skidding by driving more slowly and by pumping the brakes as you slow down for a turn rather than holding them down. Use low gears on slick surfaces, especially hills and curves. Test your brakes frequently and never tailgate.
If in spite of your precautions you find yourself beginning to skid, DO NOT BRAKE. Instead, take your foot off the accelerator and gently turn your car in the direction you want your front wheels to go. Hitting the brakes or turning sharply will only lock you into a skid. If you can't get control of your car, it is better to steer into a snow bank or fence than to risk a collision in traffic.
Visibility- is another hazard of winter driving. In heavy snow, keep your lights on. Stop and clean your windshield and lights if necessary. Get off the road before you become stranded by worsening weather conditions.
If you get stuck in snow, avoid spinning your wheels- you'll only dig in deeper. Instead, shovel snow away from the wheel paths and pour salt, sand or cinders around the drive wheels to improve traction.
Key Safety Tips:
- Keep your car or truck in top shape
- Allow extra time and space on the road
- Listen to the weather forecast
Winter Car Kit:
- Flashlights with extra batteries
- First aid kit with pocket knife
- Necessary medications
- Several Blankets
- Sleeping bags
- Extra newspapers for insulation
- Plastic bags (for sanitation)
- Matches
- Extra set of mittens, socks and a wool cap
- Snow gear and extra clothes
- Small sack of sand for generating traction under wheels
- Small Shovel
- Small Tools (pliers, wrench, screwdriver)
- Booster cables
- Set of tire chains or traction mats
- Brightly colored cloth to use as a flag
- Bottled Water
- Snacks