November 18th, 2008 - Ready for Winter Driving?
Well, it’s here again, Winter weather, and all the bad road conditions that come with it. There are several things that you’ll need to remember as you pull your vehicle onto these possibly icy streets.
One of the biggest causes of accidents in bad weather conditions is not allowing yourself plenty of room to come to a stop. People are misled when they see the words “anti-lock brakes” on the car they’re driving, I don’t care what kind of brakes your vehicle has or how expensive they are, if you wait too long to start slowing down at a red light, you ARE going to slide right through the intersection possibly hitting someone. So make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get stopped. NO TAILGATING.
Another big contributor in Winter driving accidents are people that have four wheel drives. Right now you’re thinking “What….four wheel drives are great in the winter“, and you’re right, BUT, a lot of inexperienced drivers with four wheel drive think that because they can take off quicker than a two wheel drive car, that they can also stop quicker too, ….WRONG, I don’t care how “meaty” or how “big” your tires are, they’re not gonna help at all when you have to slow down quick.
Now, everybody probably already knows that bridges and overpasses will get icy before normal roads simply because the cold winds are blowing on both the surface and the bottom side of the pavement, but I had to mention it, there may be a couple of you out there that has never been over a bridge and seen the sign thats posted there.
The best tool you can use while driving with bad road conditions is Common Sense. Keep your eyes open and be more aware of other drivers. Keep your lights on so that other drivers can see you better. If we all follow these basic “rules of the road” through these Winter months, we can all greatly reduce the accidents and injuries this season.
Being prepared as a driver is only half of it. Your vehicle should be just as ready for winter as you are. There are several things that will need to be checked to ensure you AND your car are going to make it where you’re going this season, some are,
- Make sure your brakes, windshield wipers, defroster, heater and exhaust system are in top condition.
- Check your antifreeze and be ready for colder temperatures. You may want to add special solvent to your windshield washer reservoir to prevent ice from forming.
- Check your tires. Make sure they are properly inflated and the tread is in good condition.
Make sure you know if your vehicle is front or rear wheel drive. - Other suggested items to carry in your car are an ice scraper or commercial de-icer, a broom for brushing snow off your car, a shovel to free you car if it is “snowed in”, sand or burlap for traction if your wheels should become stuck in the snow.
- It is also a good idea to take along water, food, warm blankets and extra clothing. A lengthy delay will make you glad you have them.
- Weather conditions may warrant detouring traffic from the main roadway. It is strongly suggested that drivers always keep an updated map containing the areas of travel.
- If you have a cellular telephone, pre-load the Caltrans Highway Information Network (CHIN) phone numbers for convenient, updated road conditions.
- Put an extra car key in you pocket. A number of motorists have locked themselves out of their carson accident.
- And last but not least, you should keep a 3-4 wick candle in your car and matches or a lighter to light it in case you become stranded and run out of gas or break down and can’t run the heater. The heat off the candle can keep you from freezing to death.
Hopefully some or all of this advise will help you keep your vehicles on the road, and let everyone enjoy the season with no accidents or injuries.
Drive Safe
