Winter weather is FAST approaching. Driving during winter weather can be frightening and dangerous. Here are some tips to help ease your nerves IF you do have to brave the elements.
- Fill up your fuel tank (Don't be stranded with no gas to keep your vehicle running and warm.)
- Refill windshield washer fluid with de-icer
- Replace windshield wipers (Visability is key)
- Keep and ice scraper in your vehicle to CLEAR ALL WINDOWS
- Keep your wiper blades UP when not in your vehicle. (Keep your wipers from freezing to windshield. This could SAVE your windshield wiper motors if you have a courtesy wipe set up)
KEEPING YOUR VEHICLE STOCKED WITH ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY IS CRUTIAL. Here are some items to keep in your vehicle. Emergency response times can run WAY behind during bad weather.
- Roadside markers (Flares, Cones)
- Blankets
- First aid kit
- Jumper Cables
- Bottled Water
- Snacks
- Cell Phone Charger (Browsing www.bookredcarpet.com can drain your battery while you are waiting for help.)
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 down hill 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.
