The most basic element of driving safety at any time of the year is being in full control of your vehicle. This becomes even more critical in the winter months when rain, snow, sleet, and ice can cover the surface of the road you are traveling on. Losing control of your vehicle means not being able to stop or move your car safely.
To gain control of a moving vehicle, you must understand the relationship between speed and how quickly you can stop. The distance it takes to stop your vehicle increases the faster you travel. That’s the easy part. It is clear that diving fast on a dry road will take longer to stop than when driving slowly on the same road, but the distance needed to stop a vehicle is even greater on a slippery surface. Rain, snow, sleet, and ice on the road surface make it more slippery to drive. Each of the above alone or in combination with one of the others will reduce the safe speed at which you can drive.
It’s a good idea to check the expected weather before beginning a winter trip. If heavy snowfall is expected or icy road conditions are expected, do not drive unless absolutely necessary.
If the road is straight and not busy with traffic, check how slippery it feels to stop the car. Step hard on the brake and you will see how easily you slip. This only gives a rough idea of how slippery it is. Other places along the way can be much worse. Drive much slower if your car skids while testing your brakes.
The only time I lost control of my vehicle in the winter was from driving too fast for the road conditions. The road I was plunging onto was straight and covered in snow. The weather was warm and sunny for a winter day. He was driving about fifteen miles an hour faster than he should have been. The road had a slight slippery feel to it and I could see that there was some sleet on the road. However, the first sign that something was wrong was very small. Slowly the front of the car began to drift to the right and then to the left. I took my foot off the accelerator. The wandering front end got worse. I was simply traveling too fast for the slippery road conditions. Sleet from the road caught my front tire and slowly began to spin me to the left. I could see in the distance ahead of me a green van coming from the opposite lane of traffic. My car went around a semicircle and came to a stop against the snowbank in the lane the van was in.
I was lucky. The van passed me without hitting my car. I got back on the highway. Turning the car around, I continued my journey at a very reduced speed. I gained a new respect for driving here, roads covered in slush. My near miss occurred on a straight road, but on a snow covered road it is definitely a good idea to slow down a bit before entering a curve in the road. Resume your original speed after exiting the turn.
If your car skids on a slippery surface, turn the wheels in the direction the car is skidding. Doing this should help you regain control. Correct the position of your vehicle to where it should be in your lane of travel. Your vehicle should always have winter tires for driving in snowy conditions. It’s also a good idea to keep tire chains in the trunk.
Some of the safety gear items to take when taking a winter car trip are extra warm clothing like a hat, gloves, heavy pants and a winter jacket, a blanket or two, some emergency high energy foods are good ones. Always carry a flashlight, extra batteries, and a cell phone with you.
Give yourself a little more time when driving in the winter. Slow down and live.