Motoring: Tips for Winter driving

By Chief Instructor Grant Kinney of Code Zero 

Alas, summer is over!  The days are getting shorter, the nights longer.  The weather… well, for driving, it kinda sucks much of the time leaving us to deal with slippery roads, reduced traction and impaired visibility.  Definitely, it’s time to think about winter driving and to help us get started, CODE ZERO’s Chief Instructor, Grant Kinney has prepared a few tips for driving in these more challenging conditions…

• REMEMBER THE BASICS! In all conditions, the ability to see, steer and brake properly while driving is paramount to arriving at your destination safely.  Obviously, when the weather is inclement, all three of these abilities are compromised.
• SLOW DOWN! Again, this should be obvious but it is also very important.  People are so used to driving certain speeds on certain roads that they often forget the need to slow down when inclement weather presents itself.
• DRIVE SMOOTHLY! Driving in wet or slippery conditions demands gentle use of a vehicle’s controls – steering, clutch, brake and accelerator; and a larger allowance for errors and emergencies.
• CHECK YOUR TIRES! In rain, bald tires significantly reduce your traction and offer little resistance to hydroplaning.  On ice and snow, even new all-season tires perform well below the level of proper winter tires, so if you live at a high elevation or in any area where snow is expected, it is advisable to equip your vehicle with four (!!!) YOKOHAMA winter tires.
• TURN ON YOUR LIGHTS! In inclement weather, it is essential that your vehicle can be seen by others.  Even if your vehicle is equipped with daytime running lights, when the weather turns bad and visibility is impaired, turn on your lights so that you can be seen from the rear as well as from the front.
• CLEAR ALL YOUR WINDOWS… BEFORE YOU DRIVE! It is important that both the outside AND inside windows of your vehicle are clean and clear before departing on your journey, however short and simple it may seem.  Being able to see a potential problem or incident is the only way you can prevent it from occurring!
• BE CONFIDENT AND STEER TOWARDS SAFETY! There are many causes of traffic incidents in poor weather although ‘driving too fast for conditions’ is often cited since many crashes are initiated by a skid.  In these types of emergencies, it is important to ‘calm down’ and ‘look where you want to go’.  In many situations, simply easing off the gas and carefully steering in the direction you want the front of the car to go will allow you to avoid a potential crash or collision.  Moreover, if your vehicle is equipped with ABS (Anti-lock Brakes) you can apply the brakes firmly to slow and stop the vehicle while still maintaining steering control.
• NEVER BLAME THE WEATHER! If you choose to or are forced to drive in adverse weather conditions, recognize that you are responsible for your safety as well as that of your passengers and other road users.  Always drive within your limits and the limits that are presented to you by weather conditions.