A Driver Postal

Location:

Gulfport, MS

Posted:

May 08, 2023

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Safe Driving

Winter Weather

Driving can be scary. After all, there are hundreds of other cars on the road with you, and, no matter how great of a driver you are, you have no control over them. So, it’s important to be extra safe and careful while operating your vehicle ... especially when navigating some of the most treacherous conditions: winter weather. Here are some tips for driving safely in the hail, snow, sleet, and ice. One … Keep your eyes moving.

If your foot is on the gas, then new hazards and obstacles could pop up at any second. So, you can’t lose focus of your surroundings. You have to keep an attentive eye out.

And, keep in mind … Although 90 percent of accidents are caused by things that happen directly IN FRONT OF A CAR, you also need to make sure your attention is constantly rotating to the side-view and rear-view mirrors, so you have a 360- degree view of the situation.

Two … Know the road.

This doesn’t mean “only drive in places you’ve been before.” Instead, “knowing the road” means giving yourself as much information as possible about the street conditions.

You can test traction at any time by tapping lightly on your brake. If your car slows or stops, then you know the road is in good shape, and no additional precautions are necessary.

But, be careful. It’s important to make sure you aren’t tapping away on your brakes when another car is following you closely. They might overreact to the sight of brake lights, creating a new hazard that’s no good for anyone. And, know this about roads in general: Bridges and exit ramps are extra dangerous. Cold air surrounds these suspended structures, so they’re the first to freeze and the last to thaw.

Shaded areas are another trouble spot. Cooler temperatures there can lead to surprising patches of “black ice.”

Safe Driving

Three … Increase your following distance.

The National Safety Council recommends leaving a gap of eight to 10 seconds between you and the next car when you’re driving in winter weather. You want there to be plenty of space between you and other cars in case you lose control of your vehicle. If you DO get into an accident, you’d rather only your car be involved. Four … Decrease your speed.

Posted speed limits are based on ideal road conditions. They don’t account for snow, sleet, hail, and all the other things heroic postal workers vow to trudge through. So, you have to drive slowly.

When it comes to slowing down, pay special attention to your acceleration and deceleration. Take both of those actions gradually. And, it might sound counterintuitive, but if you’re approaching a traffic light and can safely roll up without making a complete stop, you can gain a lot of helpful traction. So, avoid making dead stops if you can. Moving a car from a complete standstill takes a lot of torque that could make your car move unpredictably. Five … Turn on your headlights.

You know how you’re supposed to have your headlights on if it’s raining? Well, the same goes for other winter weather conditions. You want to make sure you have the best visibility possible in those tough driving conditions. And, you want to make sure other drivers can see YOU.

And, six … Take basic safety measures.

You should buckle your seatbelt and lock your doors right away … every time you drive your vehicle. This will help prevent ejection in the event you get into an accident … a horrifying experience that would only be made worse by the treacherous winter conditions.

Alright, now you know some proactive measures to take when driving in winter weather. But, what happens if you lose control of your car? What should you do then?

Safe Driving

Most uncontrolled sliding on snow and ice is a result of oversteering. Now, fishtailing can get your heart pounding, but if you stay calm, it’s often possible to correct. Here’s how:

When the back end of your car starts to skid, turn into it. So, if the back of your car is sliding towards the driver side, turn left. If the back is skidding towards the passenger side, turn right.

Turn the steering wheel as early as possible in the slide but do so gently. You may need to adjust the wheel more than once to follow the shifting direction of the slide.

And, don’t panic. Correcting too aggressively could send you into a full spin, and then all you can do is hope to avoid injury and damage to your car while you wait for the spin to end.

The other key thing to remember is never step on the brake when you lose control. Braking traps the energy in your car, often adding power to the slide. That’s the opposite of what you want. Slow down gradually by easing off the gas until you’ve regained full control.

In the unfortunate case that you do drift into a ditch, or another car, you have to stay near your vehicle. Don’t venture around. It’s your temporary shelter. But, you should quickly step out to make sure your exhaust isn’t blocked by mud or snow. The last thing you want now that you’ve survived an accident is to be poisoned by carbon monoxide while you wait for assistance. Keep in mind, assistance might be heavily delayed due to the winter conditions. So, it’s a good idea to keep an emergency pack in your car the whole winter season. This emergency stockpile could include water and nonperishable foods; blankets and warm clothing; a flashlight; jumper cables; a shovel; a bag of salt, sand, or kitty litter; an ice scraper and snow brush; vital medications; a first-aid kit; and any other necessity in case you’re stranded for a long period of time. Most people can agree that it’s no fun to drive in winter weather. But, if you keep the information you learned from this lesson in mind, you should be able to react appropriately if you end up in an accident … or, better yet, avoid getting into a winter weather accident in the first place.

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