Source: Brandon Police Service
While the roads in Brandon aren't this slippery...
YET, we all must remember to adjust our driving according to the conditions.
SLOW DOWN
LEAVE EARLY
DON'T TAILGATE
CHECK WEATHER CONDITIONS
USE SNOW or WINTER-RATED TIRES
Top 10 Winter Driving Strategies
Source: Wikihow.life
1. Clean off your car before leaving. It feels inconvenient to clean off your car, but this is an important safety step. Snow on your windows and mirrors blocks your view and could cause an accident. Before leaving, use a snow brush and wipe away all the snow on your windows, mirrors, hood, trunk, and roof.
- If your car has backup sensors or cameras, clear these off as well.
- Clear all of your lights as well, including your headlights, brake lights, and tail lights.
- Remember your roof! Snow piled on your roof can fly off while you're driving and hit other cars. If you can't reach up there with your snow brush, use a broom instead.
Source: Wikihow.life
2. Reduce your speed so you can stop in time. You may be stressed and running behind, but your safety comes first! Snowy weather isn't the time to drive fast. Keep your speed well below the speed limit so you can stop without slipping or skidding.
- Press the gas pedal gently to avoid sudden a jolt. This could make your car skid.
- The exact speed you should go depends on the conditions. For snowy or icy conditions, it's best to keep your speed below 30 mph (48 km/h). If you're still slipping or skidding to stop, then you definitely need to slow down.
Source: Wikihow.life
3. Leave 5-6 seconds of space behind other vehicles. Even if you're going slow, it can still take some time to stop on an icy road. If you're following other cars, leave at least 5-6 seconds of following distance. This gives you plenty of time to stop safely.[4]
- If you want to check how closely you're following someone, look at something on the side of the road up ahead, like a telephone pole. Start counting when the car ahead of you passes it, and stop counting when you pass it. The number of seconds is how closely you're following that car.
Source: Wikihow.life
4. Drive smoothly so you don't skid. Jerky movements can make your car skid out of control, so be very careful and drive as smoothly as possible. Press your brake and gas pedals gently to stop and accelerate smoothly and avoid skids. Turn your steering wheel slowly and smoothly as well.
- In a winter storm, conditions can change fast. If you weren't slipping a few minutes ago but now you're skidding around, adjust your driving and try to be as smooth as possible.
Source: Wikihow.life
5. Brake smoothly to come to a controlled stop. If the roads are icy, you could skid if you brake too hard. When you have to stop, apply gradual pressure to your brake pedal and slow to a complete stop. This should prevent you from slipping or losing control.
- This is another reason that driving slowly is so important. As long as you're not going too fast, you should be able to brake smoothly.
- Stay focused on the road ahead of you so you can spot any obstructions early. This is another good way to avoid stopping short.
Source: Wikihow.life
6. Avoid speeding up hills. When you approach a hill, don’t press the gas pedal hard to try and go up it. This can cause your tires to spin. Instead, build up a bit of speed leading up to the hill, then switch back to your normal speed when you're going up the hill. Don’t stop on the hill if you can avoid it or you might get stuck.
- Tap the brakes smoothly when you reach the top of the hill so you don't slip down the other side. This can be very dangerous.
Source: Wikihow.life
7. Ease off the gas if you skid. Skidding can be extremely scary, but it's normal if you're driving in a winter storm. Most skids are quick and all you have to do is let the gas pedal go until the tires regain traction. Once you have control again, turn your steering wheel in the direction you want to go and slowly press the gas again.
- Never hit the brake while you're skidding. This can make you lose control.
Source: Wikihow.life
8. Turn with the skid if you're starting to spin. This is the scariest type of skid, so do your best to remain calm. If you're actually starting to spin out, let go of the gas and turn your wheel in the direction you're spinning. This prevents the car from skidding further. When the car stops or regains traction, then turn your wheel back in the direction you want to go and press the gas gently.
- Your natural reaction will be to turn in the opposite direction that you're skidding, so it can be tough to overcome that urge. Try to pause for a second and remind yourself this you could lose control this way, and it's much safer to turn into the skid.
- Don't hit the brake at any point during the skid. You could lose control of the car this way.
- The only exception is if you've lost control of the skid and you have antilock brakes, which most modern cars do. If you're out of control, press the brake pedal down as hard as you can to trigger the antilock brakes without losing control of the car. Keep the pedal pressed down hard and steer the car to a safe stop.
Source: Wikihow.life
Source: Wikihow.life
10. Pull over and stop if the weather is getting worse. Winter conditions can change quickly, especially in a storm. If the weather is taking a turn for the worst, it's best to stop driving and stay safe. Find a safe place to pull over, or consider stopping at a nearby motel to get off the road. Then, you can try again when the weather is better.
- Some signs that it's time to stop are that you're skidding a lot and can't control the car, visibility is very bad, or you're feeling panicked. These are all dangerous conditions, and you should stop before you get into an accident.
- If you get trapped in your car, stay with the car. Turn your hazard lights on and call someone as soon as possible for help. Turn the car on for 10 minutes every hour to keep the car heated.
Source: Wikihow.life
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