Imagine; you are in your car rushing to school. The snow is getting heavier and the time is ticking. With so much on your mind you forget about the dangers of driving in this weather. Suddenly, you are reminded when you take one sharp turn causing you to barrel out of control and bam. You hit a car as you swerve out of your lane!
It’s no surprise that the roads are icy, slippery and very dangerous. It has already snowed multiple times this year and school has not been closed once. With icy roads and the rush to get to and from school, danger easily arises.
I myself skidded around a turn after leaving school the other day while it was snowing. Even going into my driveway led me to skid into a bush.This was when the snow was coming down heavily and the streets were not yet salted. The scary part was that I drove by the same area the next day and the mailbox near where I had almost barreled into was smashed completely. Someone else must’ve crashed into that mailbox the same day!
This got me thinking about how serious it is that we must drive with caution and led me to look into and learn some more tips on how to drive more safely on icy streets.
1) Drive slower than you think.
Depending on the ice, driving slowly can help you skid less and be more in control. You should reduce your speed to 1/3 on wet roads and 1/2 or more on snow packed roads. You want to especially be slow when navigating turns. Sharp turns are dangerous when driving on ice and can cause you to be totally out of control. Also, you want to give yourself more time to get where you are going in order to not feel the urge to speed and to take your time.
2) If you have standard breaks, pump them lightly. If you have anti lock brakes, do not pump them. Apply steady pressure.
3) Avoid driving in poor conditions and beware of black ice.
Black ice is the worst to drive over and can cause you to skid around easily. Make sure your headlights are on and if you can, avoid driving when it’s dark. Black ice isn’t easy to see but you can try to predict it. If you see other cars swerving or slowing down then that is probably a sign of it. Also, if you notice shiny or wet spots on the road then that is a clear indicator of black ice. Even with these methods, black ice is hard to identify. It is important you know what the weather is like before you leave and be aware of the possibility of being met with black ice on the road. If it is below freezing temperature (32 degrees), there is definitely a chance of black ice.
4) Leave more space in between cars then you usually would.
This may seem like common sense but it is very important to understand as slippery roads and quick stops can easily lead to collisions and accidents. You should raise your following distance to at least 7-9 seconds.
5) If you have the type of car you can put into four wheel drive (like jeeps, manual cars or certain automatic cars) then do it. This will allow better traction and can help you avoid getting stuck in mud or ice.
6) Avoid sudden movements.
If you feel yourself getting out of control, don’t overcorrect or turn the wheel in the opposite direction. Instead, turn the wheel in the direction you are skidding towards and press lightly on the breaks since it helps you regain control and prevent spinning (vision zero).
7) Be cautious over bridges or overpasses as they freeze over more easily making them surprisingly slippery.
