Driving in a winter wonderland
Sure signs that winter is upon us: Ponderosa pines flocked by nature, yards made immaculate under a fresh white blanket, ski resorts coming to life, and oh yes, roads made treacherous with packed snow and ice.
During the next 90 days or so, we must face a penalty for the beauty of our winter weather by driving in it. One can ease that inconvenience, however, by being a prepared driver with a prepared vehicle. I’ve written of vehicle preparation, including such items as cooling system maintenance, tires, brakes, electrical, etc. I also recommended carrying some winter supplies, like cat litter, shovel, blanket, chains, tow strap, flashlight, and other common-sense items that may be helpful in emergencies.
Your vehicle must be top-notch, but the most important factor in conquering the task of drives in a winter wonderland is driver preparedness. First, snow and ice are simply variations of road surface conditions. We would love our roads to be paved, bare and dry all of the time, but sometimes they are wet, and other times they are ice- or snow-covered. Fortunately, motor vehicles are designed to operate in all of these conditions — some are just more challenging for drivers than others.
Even for the sharpest winter drivers, the best defense for accident avoidance when road conditions are poor is to stay off of the roads. It is safest for all when you can adjust your driving needs so as to remain home during the worst conditions. When the blizzard stops, and the plows have made their passes, you can go out and drive past all of the vehicles that slid into the ditch during the storm.
But there are times when our schedules demand that we tackle the task of driving on roads that have succumbed to winter’s fury. Above all, manage your time so that you are not in a hurry. Leave early, so you can drive slower — too much speed for the conditions is the major cause of winter driving mishaps.
Everything must be done more gently when driving on slick surfaces. That means using the accelerator, like I’ve described for fuel efficiency, as if there is an egg between your shoe and the pedal — depress the pedal so as not to break the egg. A driver must anticipate stops and turns, so gradual deceleration can happen. It is best to maintain about three times the normal following distance behind another vehicle. Cars and trucks can do the same things on slick roads as they can do on bare roads — they just need more notice and lower speeds to do so.
Some other tips to help avoid difficulty are: clear all of your lights and windows before driving, avoid cruise control and overdrive on slippery roads, and remember that bridges and overpasses are more likely frozen than normal road sections. Also, beware of the dreaded “black ice.” A road might look only wet, or even bare, when there is actually a thin coating of frost or clear ice covering the surface. In-car thermometers, which tell the outside temperature, are useful for indicating the possible presence of “black ice” on the roadway.
If your vehicle is all-wheel, or four-wheel drive, you have the most potential traction for going, but just normal traction for stopping and turning — try not to get cocky. With a front-wheel drive vehicle, you have good weight over the driving wheels (engine and transaxle) for getting going, and climbing grades, but turns must be made slowly to avoid front end “plowing.” Rear-wheel drive vehicles will benefit from having 100-200 pounds of weight in the trunk or pickup bed directly over the rear axle — weight placed too far back will reduce your turning ability by lifting the front of the vehicle.
Today’s automobiles are often equipped with anti-lock brakes, traction control, and/or vehicle stability control. All of these features are helpful for foul weather operation, but it also helps to know how they act in real-time. Take time to test your vehicle’s reaction to emergency stops, sudden turns, and hard acceleration in an empty, large, snow- and ice-covered parking lot. It’s good to know, for example, the characteristics and sounds of your ABS (anti-lock brake system) when activated. ABS rapidly pulsates braking, reducing brake pressure from wheels threatened by impending lockup. This allows for wheel rotation, hence steering, with maximum braking. The whirring, grinding, or clicking noises present during pedal depression on a slick surface are normal. Remember not to pump ABS brakes — the system is doing that for you. Keep applying brake pressure until you have adequately slowed or stopped.
Please keep in mind — a successful winter drive requires a prepared vehicle and a prepared driver. A calculated, cautious yet confident approach can help you stay safe.