Safety is Key - Top 7 Driving Tips for the Winter Season
Winter driving is dramatically different from driving in summer
. More than just making your cars safer to drive, knowing how to drive more safely is also important. These tips were written with snow and ice-covered roads in mind, and here they are.
1. Warm up
Winter weather means lower temperatures, but cars need hotter (and thus, higher) temperatures for them to work optimally. This leads many drivers to think that the longer they warm the car, the better things get. However, this is not true.
Warming the car for too long is just a waste of valuable energy. Studies show that a car that has been warmed up to about sixty degrees Celsius is enough. Any further warming will translate to nothing but extra operation costs.
2. Gradual Braking, ABS or NO ABS
Most modern cars are equipped with an anti-lock braking system, which prevents cars from skidding after the brake pedal is stepped on too hard, too fast. The idea behind this device is that tires provide both traction and control ONLY when they are spinning, so that an abrupt halt can send the car to unpredictable directions. When you need to halt while driving over snow or other slippery surfaces, step on the brakes gradually. Our instincts often tell us that a sudden stop can be achieved only through rapid braking. However, physicists and automobiles experts vehemently disagree.
3. Don't Tailgate
In line with the second point, common-sense dictates that tailgating should be avoided. Since the braking distance is considerably longer during winter, tailgating increases the risks of encountering life-threatening collisions. For a safer journey, keep a safer distance from everyone else.
4. Turn Gradually
Since traction is considerably decreased during winter because of the snow on the roads, turning can be a challenge. Thus, it is best to turn as slow as possible to prevent loss of control. Ease up on the gas, and do not drive too fast.
5. When stuck, wiggle
If a car gets stuck in the snow, do not force the car to move by stepping harder on the gas. The best way to go about this is to turn the steering wheel back and forth in both directions to clear a little of the snow. Afterwards, step gently on the gas for the car to move. Think of it as like trying to get out of quicksand.
6. Black Ice
This is one of the most dangerous surfaces to drive on. So the first thing to do is to NOT DRIVE. However, at times, we do not really have much of a choice regarding this matter, so make sure that you drive more slowly than usual. Furthermore, you can also increase the weight on the tries by loading up the car with stuff. This increases traction, which lets you have greater control of the car.
7. Leave Tires Alone
There are some guides out there that tell motorists to put chains, sandbags and various stuff onto the tires to improve traction. However, this increases the risks of things tangling up, especially when chain links break. Thus, going MacGyver with your car is not the best thing to do, unless you're MacGyver himself, of course.
Final Note:
The main idea behind everything that was written in this last article is the fact that driving in winter is considerably more risky than in any other time of the year. Thus, any responsible motorist must exercise extra caution when travelling at this time.
But then, do not forget to make sure that the car will cooperate with all your efforts, so here's a quick rundown of the most common car winterization procedures:
1. Change tires to snow tires, as they are better suited for winter conditions.
2. Perform routine maintenance before winter arrives. Furthermore, perform additional maintenance procedures that are intended to make a car's engine still work well despite frigid weather.
3. Always check for problems with the brake fluid and all other fluids that are associated with a car's operation.
4. Assemble an emergency kit. Winterizing is not just about getting your car ready. It also means getting the DRIVER ready for the same thing.
5. Drive more safely.
This list is by no means completely exhaustive. Thus, every motorist should read more about the finer things about their cars. There are many discussion boards in the internet which talk about special needs of particular car makes and brands. The information that you will get from those sites will be indispensable not only ensuring your safety, but also the safety of every other person on board.
Safety is Key - Top 7 Driving Tips for the Winter Season
By: Jim Baz
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