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How many times have you had to drive to work through the snow and ice? Aside from being merely unpleasant, this is at times incredibly dangerous if not approached with caution. Having driven to work this morning on roads layered with ice and snow, I feel compelled to offer all of you a friendly reminder of what you should watch out for.
1) No matter what you are driving, mother nature trumps all. Even if you’re driving a six wheel diesel-guzzling truck, you are at the mercy of the weather. Sorry to burst your bubble, but snow and ice don’t always yield to 4X4 cars with winter tires. Although all of those things most certainly help, always approach every hazardous driving scenario from a humble perspective. On one occasion last year while I was driving to work in the snow, I can’t say that I was exactly surprised to see about a dozen cars skidded off of the highway. I was however surprised to see that every single car that had veered off of the road were large trucks that otherwise should have easily stayed on the road. Drivers duped by a false sense of security are at just as much risk as the dude driving the smart car in a foot of snow and ice.
2) Easy does it. When you’re on the icy roads, you might as well pretend you’re in a boat on the water. There is no pin-point accuracy with your car at this point. Triple if not quadruple your stopping distance! Upon acceleration, use the gas pedal delicately to get better traction on slippery surfaces. Too much pressure on the gas will likely cause your tires to spin out. Remember to use your brake pedal sparingly! Locking up your brakes is only going to turn your car into a sled. As fun as it would be to sled at 35 mph, doing it on a road with cars and other hazards is not ideal. It may help to keep the mental image that you’re driving a boat. Boats can’t stop on a dime! If you’re driving a manual car, use higher gears as much as possible. The higher the gear, the better the traction. You may find it helpful to start out in second gear and bypass first gear altogether. This will help to keep you from spinning out. If you’re stuck on an incline at a red light, turn on your hazards to let the driver behind you know that it’s going to be a slow start.
3) Use your instincts! On icy conditions, forget about the guy that’s flying down the road at the normal speed limit. Drive at the speed that feels safe to you. In fact, don’t be afraid to drive even slower! Watching how other drivers are handling the conditions can be advantageous up to a certain point. Every car and every driver handles the road differently so focus mostly on yourself. Don’t let speedy Gonzales behind you make you feel like you should be driving faster. If you happen to be speedy Gonzales, respect the comfort zone of other drivers and give them a fair amount of space. In hazardous driving conditions, safety undeniably comes first. If you’re late for being where you need to be, don’t make others pay for it. Causing an accident is simply not in the interest of either parties.
4) Be prepared. Not to be a glass half empty person, but being prepared for a break down in inclement weather is something that I highly recommend you consider. Having an emergency kit takes minimal time to assemble and can save you tons of time in the future. Here are the details of how you can prepare a masterfully crafted emergency kit. Once you have your kit assembled, take some time to familiarize yourself with your equipment. Make sure all of it works and make sure you know how to work it!
These are just a few thought nuggets that I hope you find useful down the road. Be sure to post any suggestions, recommendations, etc. in the comments below. Drive safe everyone and when the snow comes, make sure you do something fun. Make a snowman, do a snow angel, go sledding… Enjoy yourself and have a happy/safe holidays!
