Severe weather can be both frightening and dangerous for
automobile travel. Motorists should know the safety rules for dealing with
winter road emergencies. We want to remind motorists to be cautious while
driving in adverse weather.
We recommend the following winter driving tips:
- Avoid
driving while you’re fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before
taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.
- Never
warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
- Make
certain your tires are properly inflated.
- Never
mix radial tires with other tire types.
- Keep
your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
- If
possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
- Do not
use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
- Always
look and steer where you want to go.
- Use
your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.
Tips for long-distance winter trips:
- Watch
weather reports prior to a long-distance drive or before driving in
isolated areas. Delay trips when especially bad weather is expected. If
you must leave, let others know your route, destination and estimated time
of arrival.
- Always
make sure your vehicle is in peak operating condition.
- Keep
at least half a tank of gasoline in your vehicle at all times.
- Pack a
cellular telephone plus blankets, gloves, hats, food, water and any needed
medication in your vehicle.
- If you
become snow-bound, stay with your vehicle. It provides temporary shelter
and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Don’t try to walk in a
severe storm. It’s easy to lose sight of your vehicle in blowing snow and
become lost.
- Don’t
over exert yourself if you try to push or dig your vehicle out of the
snow.
- Tie a
brightly colored cloth to the antenna or place a cloth at the top of a
rolled up window to signal distress. At night, keep the dome light on if
possible. It only uses a small amount of electricity and will make it
easier for rescuers to find you.
- Make
sure the exhaust pipe isn’t clogged with snow, ice or mud. A blocked
exhaust could cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger
compartment with the engine running.
- Use
whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could
include floor mats, newspapers or paper maps.
- If
possible run the engine and heater just long enough to remove the chill
and to conserve gasoline.
Tips for driving in the snow:
- Accelerate
and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best
method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don’t try to get moving
in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes
longer to slow down on icy roads.
- Drive
slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating,
stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give
yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
- The
normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds
should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of
safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
- Know
your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop
is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the
ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
- Don’t
stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of
inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes
to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep
rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
- Don’t
power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your
wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the
hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of
the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill as slowly as possible.
- Don’t
stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a
hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you
take on the hill.
- Stay
home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive
well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don’t tempt fate: If you don’t
have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.
Original post can be viewed
here.
