Top 10 Rules for Safe Winter Driving

This article is reprinted with the permission of the Thinking Driver Corporation from its winter newsletter. Spencer McDonald, Thinking Driver’s president, presented at the annual NAPT conference last week in Louisville, Ky., on proper training for school bus drivers.

More information on the Thinking Driver can be found at www.thinkingdriver.com.

Winter driving presents a number of challenges to both you and your bus. Cold weather tests the limits of your vehicle’s mechanical abilities. Treacherous driving conditions test you as a driver. It’s imperative that you and your vehicle be ready for the upcoming challenges of winter conditions.

1. ACCEPT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to do all in your power to drive without incident. Do not blame the weather for a crash. Be prepared to meet any situation.
2. ADJUST YOUR SPEED TO CONDITIONS. Slow down on wet, snowcovered, or icy roads so you can stop in time if you have to. Watch for ice patches, especially in shaded areas, on bridges, and on overpasses. On compact snow reduce your speed by 1/3. On icy roads, reduce your speed by 1/2.
3. GET THE “FEEL” OF THE ROAD. If you are away from traffic, try the brakes occasionally while driving slowly. Find out just how slippery the road is and adjust your speed to the road and weather conditions. Never make sudden moves like slamming on the brakes or accelerator.
4. KEEP THE WINDSHIELD CLEAR OF SNOW, ICE, AND FOG. Be sure headlights, windshield wiper blades and defrosters are in top working condition. (This also means making sure nothing is blocking your heater/defroster vents.) You have to see danger to avoid it.
5. USE SNOW TIRES, TIRE CHAINS, OR STUDDED TIRES ON SNOW AND ICE. They cut stopping distances and give more starting and climbing traction ability. However, even with the help of chains or studs, slower-thannormal- speeds are a “must” on snow and ice.
6. GENTLY APPLY YOUR BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. Slamming on the brakes can lock the wheels and throw you into a dangerous skid.
7. UNDERSTAND AND USE ABS CORRECTLY. ABS will increase your stopping distance on icy road conditions. Gently applying the brakes to the point just before the ABS is activated will reduce your stopping distance. If you feel ABS come on, press down hard on the pedal, look and steer where you want you want to go and don’t let up on the pedal until you are out of danger.
8. FOLLOW AT A SAFE DISTANCE. Keep well back of the vehicle ahead of you in order to give yourself room to stop. Remember, without tire chains, it takes three to 12 times the amount of distance to stop on snow and ice as on dry concrete.
9. CRUISE CONTROL. Do not use cruise control where the roads might be slick. Cruise control can apply power suddenly or at the wrong time and cause a skid or make a small skid uncontrollable. If you have the cruise control on and think the road might be slick, use the hand operated controls to turn it off. Tapping the brakes can initiate a skid if the roads are slick.
10. REMEMBER, condensation on the pavement of bridges and over-passes freezes before the rest of the roadway.