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Driving Safely in the Snow

Winter conditions can provide drivers with a substantial challenge. Freezing temperatures, reduced visibility and dicey road circumstances bring a high risk of losing control of your vehicle and experiencing an accident.

That’s why, when snowy conditions happen, it’s important to take appropriate safeguards for yourself and your vehicle. Also, assuming a different driving style in the snow will help you escape difficult situations.

Here are some helpful tips for driving in the snow.

First, if you’re preparing to drive in the snow . . .

Only drive if necessary

Above all, you ought to drive in the snow only if it’s completely necessary to do so. If weather conditions are bad, it’s best to stay put as 17 percent of vehicle accidents take place during winter weather circumstances. Even if you’re an expert at driving in the snow, others on the road may not be, boosting the odds of an accident even if you’re not to blame.

Remove snow and ice from the vehicle

If you must drive, you need to remove any snow and ice from your vehicle before driving anywhere. Many states even require drivers to remove the snow and ice that may become dislodged while driving. For one, Pennsylvania legislated that drivers must “make reasonable efforts” to clean snow and ice from the hood, roof and trunk of their vehicles prior to driving.

For an unrestricted view in every direction, clear the snow from every area of the vehicle, using an ice scraper to dislodge any ice that may have formed on your windows and mirrors.

Pro tip: Don’t use hot water to clear snow or ice on the windshield because the hot water can cause the cold window to crack.

Keep a full tank of gas or stay fully charged

Fill up your gas tank ahead of an impending snowstorm and keep it full. You simply don’t want to run out of gas, especially if you end up stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on an interstate highway during a snowfall, sleet or ice storm. Past snowfalls on I-80 are classic examples. If you’re driving an electric vehicle, stay fully charged or at least 80 percent charged. Be familiar with the electric vehicle’s systems that devour battery charge, including blasting the heat.

Be prepared with an emergency kit

If something does take place, it’s an excellent idea to have a winter emergency kit in your vehicle. The kit ought to contain essential survival supplies, safety devices, vehicle maintenance tools and, yes, extra winter clothing.

Okay, you’re out on the road and the snow is piling up inch by inch. . .

Drive super smoothly

The recipe for driving safely in the snow is remaining “smooth” with the steering wheel, accelerator and brakes. Why? Jerky actions with the controls simply unstick tires that already have a shaky grip on the slippery road, so each turn of the wheel, pushing on the brakes and movement of the gas pedal must be cautious, gentle and steady. Make believe there is a cup of steaming hot coffee in your lap and drive so as not to spill it.

Remain alert and focused

Further than just keeping an eye on your own vehicle, it’s important to pay close attention to what other drivers are doing around you. Be sure you’re attentive to every other driver on the road, both right in front of you and in your peripheral vision, as they may well not be sticking to the same safe driving habits you are.

You also want to limit any distractions to always remain on high alert. A phone call with a relative or listening to an exciting podcast isn’t worth becoming so preoccupied that you ignore signs of would-be dangers around you.

Respect for snowplows

Snowplow drivers are focused on clearing roadways. Consequently, their peripheral vision could be blocked by the flying snow coming off the oversized plow.

In addition, be watchful when driving alongside a snowplow. The snow that comes off the sides of the plow can hit your windshield, making it tough to almost impossible to see the road clearly. To be safe, just make sure to keep a sensible distance from any snowplow on the road.

Don’t use cruise control

Fight the impulse to switch on cruise control when driving in snow, ice or slush. True, the road may be wet, but black ice or unplowed snow may still be present. These circumstances could mean losing control of the vehicle when using cruise control since the system might not respond as fast as you can if you sense a loss of traction.

Be conscious of stopping distances

Always be aware that a vehicle’s stopping distance will be noticeably longer in the snow. Also, if snow is coming down at a substantial rate, it will lower how far ahead you can see, so you have to drive considerably slower and give yourself a longer period of time to react. Importantly, braking distances can double when roads are wet and amplified by at least 10 times on snow or ice.

The stopping distance at 30 mph in normal circumstances is 75 feet. In snowy conditions, the stopping distance at 30 mph might be as great as 750 feet!

Driving on black ice

Black ice is a thin layer of ice on the road surface triggered by rain falling on frozen surfaces that’s generally crystal clear. It’s most likely to be found on parts of the road that don’t get a bunch of sun, such as three-lined roads, in addition to bridges, overpasses and roads underneath overpasses. Since it’s rather tricky for drivers to see, black ice can be one of the biggest hazards of driving in the winter.  

If you do encounter black ice, remain calm and stay away from quick or aggressive movements. DO NOT hit the brakes. Rather, completely lift off the gas pedal and attempt to steer straight ahead, allowing the vehicle to simply drive over the black ice.

Pump the brakes or equip the antilock braking system (ABS)

Yes, slamming on the brakes might be your first response to slipping on the road, but it’s about the absolute worst thing you can do when driving in the snow. Rather, pump your brakes wherein you push the brake pedal, let up, then push it down again and again.

This maneuver allows the vehicle to simultaneously steer and brake on a slick surface.

Drivers also employ it to make an emergency stop where there is minimal traction, to reduce the effect of sliding as a result of the wheels locking up when applying the brakes.

Fortunately, most newer vehicles come equipped with antilocking braking systems (ABS) which counteract brake seizing even when you have to brake vigorously. Applying firm brake pressure is necessary when employing ABS. Let up only when you’ve come to a full stop, since this will initiate the ABS and counteract unnecessary slippage.

Okay, if you live in northeast Pennsylvania, you can’t help but drive where the snow flies. You’ve no doubt witnessed drivers blowing by you on a snowy road and leave you wondering if they’d end up in a ditch. Whether they did or not, one thing’s for certain, you don’t want to be that person. Take note of road conditions and follow the tips listed above.

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