Wintry conditions of icy roads, snow, and freezing rain can be tricky and dangerous for drivers to negotiate.
And according to research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, bad winter weather is a factor in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths each year. When the weather is severe, the best advice of course is to stay at home! But if you must drive somewhere, here are some precautions you can take to make sure you get to your destination in one piece.
Be Prepared
Before even venturing out you must be prepared –so stock up your car with some essential gear and supplies. Make sure you have extra warm clothes, and blankets, a pair of boots, a scraper, a small shovel, a flashlight with extra batteries, some non-perishable food, and bottled water. And before driving any kind of distance, make sure your tires are properly inflated and that you have at least a half tank of gas. And remember when you get in your vehicle, never warm up the car in an enclosed space like a garage.
Driving
And as for driving in snow, here are some quick tips to keep safe this season in wintry conditions.
Slowly Does It!
Slow down! You may have an AWD vehicle, but you need to drive slowly regardless, as you need to account for less traction when driving in hazardous conditions. Furthermore, do not use cruise control in the slippery conditions caused by ice and snow. To avoid skidding accelerate and decelerate slowly. It takes longer to stop on snow and ice so keep this in mind when approaching a stoplight or traffic lights.
Stay Back!
Never tailgate in wintry conditions of ice and snow. This is when you can break the two-second rule and increase it to five or six! Keep a healthy distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead. This will give you ample space if you need to suddenly brake. And speaking of brakes, get to know yours well! Don’t rely on your antilock brakes too much as they don’t work well in ice and snow, just slow down gradually.
Never slam on your brakes!
If you feel your car getting out of control, try not to panic and slam on the brakes. If you hit the brakes hard you risk going into a worse skid. Instead, gradually let off the accelerator and this should help you regain control.
Please don’t go!
If you do get stranded in the snow, never try to walk for help and leave your vehicle, especially in a low-visibility storm. You could get lost and suffer from exposure. Stay with the car as it offers shelter and it’s easier for rescuers to find you.
Be Visible
Tie a colorful scarf (if you have one) to the antenna and keep the dome light on at night as it only uses a limited amount of power.
Clear the exhaust pipe!
Clear the exhaust pipe of snow and ice to ensure it’s not clogged so you can safely be in your car when the engine is running, and avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Stay Warm
This is why you packed extra warm clothes and blankets! Keep warm and reserve your energy until help arrives. Only run the engine and heater for short spurts just to take off the edge. Drive safely out there this winter!
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