Now, on to the nitty, gritty stuff...
Who here is scared of driving on ice? Show of hands, anyone? Well, you should all be scared of driving on ice. I'm not implying that you're a bad driver on ice, but you should still be scared of driving on ice if not for yourself, then for the other people on the road. Because of this, I have compiled a few helpful hints about driving on ice. Most of the information you see on this page will have come from this website: the top part about skidding (http://www.roofbox.co.uk/advice_on_snow_driving.html), the bottom random tips (http://www.tdc.ca/driving.htm).But some of it is stuff I've learned through my past, and through driving in WI, and stuff that I've learned from my parents, who both grew up in an area where have the year was covered by anywhere from 3 to 36+ inches of snow, ice, and generally slick and dangerous devices of Mother Nature (her rebellion for paving her finest lands).
Anyhow, so here are the tips.
Learn how to drive on ice. Know it as an instinct so you can focus on the road around you, and the other drivers instead of just yourself.
Begin braking at least two car lengths before you normally would.
Plan at least twice as long to get where you're going. If you're going on the interstate plan 3 to 4 times as long to get where you need to be.
Get some extra large (60 gallon or more) size trash bags. Keep them in your car with a pair of scissors. When you get somewhere, cut along two adjacent edges, and open up the trashbag, spread it across you windsheild so you don't have spend extra time scrapping your windsheild in the mornings, or after work. Also keep paper towels in your car, wiping off any water left on your windsheild from melting snow will make it easier to get the trash bag off, and any additional snow that makes it way under the trashbag off.
If you have a defroster, use it. Let your car warm up for 5 to 10 minutes while you grab a bite to eat, or fix your hair in the morning. Make sure you can see out of all of your mirrors, and windows.
Be careful of the areas where everyone drives. They tend to be wet longer, but once they freeze, it is hard to tell that they are frozen. That my friends, is what we call black ice. It is okay to drive on snow. The snow will give you more traction than the ice, but it will also make your tires more slick if you get the snow compacted between the grooves in your tires (hard to do but be careful).
Do NOT try to get ice off of your windows using hot water. This will crack the windshield. (You would not believe how many rednecks in my classes have done that.)
Feel the car. Be aware of where it wants to go. Do not make sudden moves, they will just cause you to lose control more rapidly. Turn slowly, adjust slowly.
Be especially careful of high traffic and cross traffic areas - intersections, and lane changes.
If you are in a manual car, give your self plenty of room to manuver around in. You don't want to slide back or forwards into another car.
If you are in an automatic car, give everyone plenty of room to manuver. Pretend everyone around you is in a manual car, and be aware that they may need extra room to get a running start at a hill, or from a stop sign.
In a rear-wheel drive vehicle, you can usually feel a loss of traction or the beginning of a skid. There may be no such warning in a front-wheel drive, however. Front-wheel drives do handle better in ice and snow, but they do not have flawless traction, and skids can occur unexpectedly. Don't let the better feel and handling of a front-wheel drive car cause you to drive faster than you should.
Despite a popular misconception, the best approach to recovering from a skid is the same for foth front and rear-wheel drive vehicles.
If your rear wheels start to skid:
- Turn the steering wheel 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 your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
- If your car has an anti-lock braking system (ABS), keep your foot on the pedal. If not, pump the pedal gently, pumping more rapidly as your car slows down. Braking hard with non-anti-lock brakes will make the skid worse.
If your front wheels skid:
- Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
- As the 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 the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.
To avoid skids, brake carefully and gently on snow or ice. "Squeeze" your brakes in slow, steady strokes. Allow the wheels to keep rolling. If they start to lock up, ease off the brake pedal. As you slow down, you may also want to shift into a lower gear.
- Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
Carbon monoxide quickly builds up in enclosed areas and it cannot be sensed by your nose.
- Always wear your safety belt.
- Start out slowly in the lowest gear recommended by your vehicle's manufacturer.
- Watch for hazardous road conditions. Take extra care when driving on icy roads and watch out for hard to see patches of ice (black ice). Especially in shady spots and bridges.
- Keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind other vehicles and trucks that are plowing the road.
- When there is snow on the ground and the sun is very bright - wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and prevent excessive eye fatique.
- Avoid driving when you are tired.
- Always maintain a safe following distance between your car and the vehicle in front. It takes a greater distance to stop on ice and snow.
- Don't pass a snowplow or spreader unless it is absolutely necessary. Treat these as you would emergency response vehicles.
- Don't park along the street. Snowplow drivers can't fully clear a road if cars are in their way
- Always maintain a safe following distance between your car and the vehicle in front. It takes a greater distance to stop on ice and snow.
- Every car has different handling characteristics. You should know what your car can and cannot do in the snow. You should know if it has antilock brakes and traction control, how they work and how they help. In fact, you should practice using these features in an empty parking lot before you have to use them on the roads. See your owner's manual for details.
- If you're nervous about driving in winter, consider spending some time practicing. Go to an empty parking lot and try sending the car into a little skid on purpose. Slam on the brakes, then practice turning into the skid and see what happens--and practice until you're comfortable regaining control of the car. Doing this in a large, empty parking lot allows you the luxury of skidding without ending up flat on your back, looking up into the eyes of several ambulance personnel and police. The more comfortable you are maintaining control and regaining control, the better a winter driver you'll be.
- Drive economically - use a light foot on the accelerator pedal.
- Watch the rear view mirror for vehicles who might rear end you.
Do not use high beams as they only reflect the snow and make it worse. Do not use the cruise control because if and when the tires slip it causes
cars to accelerate and you will lose control of the car. - Drive as if there were eggs on the bottom of your feet--step on the gas
and the brake pedals so gently that you don't break the eggshell.
Well, that's all I've got folks. I hope it's helpful.
Goodnight,
~Liz~
