Winter Driving 101
Before the first winter snow falls be certain your vehicle is in good winter driving condition. You want to be sure your vehicle will stand up to the harsh winter driving conditions. Preparations includes the entire vehicle. Everything from the tires, the engine to the windshield wipers needs to be checked and made ready for the freezing temperatures, icy roads and blowing snows of the long winter months. The author of this guide has lived most of her life in the mid-west states of Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Over the years she has learned that winterizing your vehicle with the correct weight of engine oil and other fluids can be the difference between getting to your destination or being stuck by the side of the road.
Winter driving requires good tires. Tires should have plenty of tread and correct air pressure. Tires with thin thread and/or too little air pressure do not respond well. Tires with worn and thin tread has little or no traction and will slip and slide over icy roads. The driver of a vehicle with inadequate tread has little control of the vehicle. It will slip and slide down the street and may spin out of control.
It is imperative that you are able to see all around you when you are driving. Therefore, scraping a peep hole in the frozen ice on the driver's side of the windshield is not a good idea. That little peep hole only allows the driver a limited view of what is in front of the vehicle. Scraping a peep hole then turning on the defrost to finish clearing the windshield will not do. All the vehicle's windows need to be cleaned before driving, When driving in winter it is imperative to have an unobstructed view of the front, back and both sides of the vehicle.
Check traffic reports before getting on the road. While you want to avoid streets that are backed up due to fender benders and crashes, you want to stick to well plowed and salted streets. Side streets are always last to be cleared and salted by city trucks.
Once you are on the road, drive defensively, i..e., slowly, paying attention to the road and vehicles around you. Intersections require extra care. Snow is pushed into the intersections by the snow plows creating a ridge, when vehicles stop and the intersection and idle there a slightly raised sheet of hard ice forms. A lot of spin outs occur at intersections due to this sheet of ice. Intersections should be approached with caution. Tap the brakes to slow the vehicle as well as alert the driver behind you as you slow the vehicle. Never stomp the brakes on icy streets. When the way is clear to proceed through the intersection do not attempt to accelerate quickly. Instead, step on the gas slowly and steadily. This allows the tires to get a good grip and prevent a spin out.
The most careful of drivers driving a well maintained vehicle will sometimes run into problems when driving in the winter. If you find yourself slipping and sliding or fishtailing, try not to panic. Avoid stomping on the breaks and jerking the wheel away from the spin. Instead, tap the breaks several times to slow the vehicle when in a slide. If the vehicle goes into a fishtail, turn the wheel in the direction of the spin. Turn the wheel with a slow and steady hand, while lightly tapping the breaks. Blow your horn so that the vehicles around you are aware that you are out of control.
When driving on the highway or the freeway during the winter the same precautions as city driving should be observed. There are some additional precautions to be taken as well. During a white out or heavy snow or sleet, drive with your hazard lights on. You want to be seen. Don't speed, drive at a speed that allows you to maintain control of the vehicle. Stay in the slow lane avoiding passing if possible. Allow speeders and reckless drivers to pass you. Avoid driving behind trucks, mobile homes and other oversize vehicles, you want to avoid the slush thrown from their tires. If driving becomes too dangerous exit the highway at the nearest next.
If you should break down on the highway or expressway be prepared. You should have in your vehicle an emergency kit. The kit should contain emergency hazard lights that you set around vehicle. These lights are relatively inexpensive and require batteries, so be sure and check the batteries when winterizing your vehicle. You should also have a shovel and a bag of sand or cat litter in the trunk when driving in on the highway. If you are unable to get out of a snow bank using the shovel and sand, you may be stuck by the side of the road for hours. Always have water and food in the vehicle when you set out to drive in the winter.
