We’ve established that it is winter and therefore we can expect driving conditions to only go downhill from here. In a previous blog I provided tips on how to make sure your car is prepared for the snowy and icy conditions, but it is also helpful to prepare your driving skills for the wintry mayhem that you may encounter during your winter travels.
Here are some tips to help you navigate icy roads:
· Slow down. Why is it that some motorists simply ignore the fact that there is a sheet of ice covering the highway and proceed driving at 75 miles per hour? Wise up (for your sake and the sake of other drivers sharing the road)–decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
· Braking. You should brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake. (See more tips on braking on ice and snow below.)
· Turn on your lights. Even if you can see others it’s a good idea to turn your lights on to increase your visibility to other motorists.
· Keep your lights and windshield clean.
· Learn about your car’s gears. For example, you want to use low gears to keep your traction, especially on hills.
· Disengage your cruise control when driving on icy roads.
· Be especially careful on bridges and overpasses, which freeze first. And, remember even when temperatures are above freezing, if the road is wet, you may encounter ice in shady areas.
· Never overtake snowplows and sand trucks. The practice is illegal in some states, including here in Wisconsin. Snowplow drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
· Don’t overestimate the “powers” of your vehicle. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.
· If your rear wheel skids take your foot off the accelerator. In addition, steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. (If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they’re sliding right, steer right.). If you have standard brakes, pump them gently. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes.
· If your front wheels skids take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral. As your vehicle’s wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go, then put your vehicle back in “Drive.”
Related Articles: