Winter always brings a warning for drivers to stay alert, be in control and slow down. Prepare yourself and your vehicle for winter driving and avoid accidents (a leading cause of winter death).
In winter, “Winter Road Safety” is very important for driving in snowy or icy weather conditions. Let’s take a look at those basics.
Vehicle needs
Be sure to take the following things with you while driving in winter to ensure your safety while driving in winter.
– First aid box
– Bottled water
– Rain gear, extra clothing/blankets
– Canned fruits and nuts
– Ice scraper/snow brush
– Booster cables
– small shovel
– Set of traction mats or tire chains
– Towing rope or chain
– Extra newspapers for insulation.
– Plastic bags (for hygiene)
– Road flares or warning lights
-Pocket knife
– Sand or other traction aid
– sleeping bags
– Fire extinguisher
– Candle and matches
– Fabric in vibrant colors as a flag
– Additional set of shoes, mittens, wool hat and socks
– Gas line antifreeze
– Small tool kit
– Flashlight and batteries
your own care
In case you have a mishap during your winter travel, following these tips will help you survive the harsh weather conditions.
– Before driving try to sleep completely.
– Stay away from exhaustion and take a break after 3 hours to relax your body, especially on long journeys.
– Maintain circulation by exercising or occasionally moving arms and legs.
– Beware of hypothermia that comes with signs like slow speech, uncontrolled chills, exhaustion, drowsiness, etc.
– Wear warm clothing and be in a group to produce heat.
– Wear light clothing with layers and less tight.
– Do not stay in the same position too long to avoid fatigue and take turns if there is someone else in the car.
– Carefully organize long trips.
– Keep in touch with road conditions via radio, television, etc.
Additional vehicle needs
Make sure the battery, brakes, windshield wipers, radiator, thermostat, oil, lights, hazard flashers, belts and hoses, ignition system, antifreeze, heater/defroster, and your vehicle’s exhaust system heaters are working properly.
– Only use winter tires in good condition. DMV driving law requires you to have chains or studded snow tires to drive. (Check tire pressure constantly as it drops cold)
– Remove snow or ice from your vehicle with a windshield scraper or small broom.
– Make your gas tank completely full.
– Set the windshield washer fluid to a temperature range of -40°C.
going down the road
– Most importantly, make sure others see you and they see you.
– Follow the two second double rule and in difficult conditions double the distance between you and the other vehicle moving in front of your car
– Avoid skids on slippery roads by gaining full control of your vehicle and to do so install a fully functional brake and employ defensive driving skills especially those truck drivers.
– Be very careful while driving on snowy roads and keep in touch with weather conditions.
misfortunes
In case you get into trouble, try to
– Call the police or use flares/flashing lights to attract attention.
– Use the telephone service to seek help.
– In poor visibility conditions during a snow storm, stay in your car.
– Shovel slowly to avoid fatigue in case your vehicle gets stuck in the snow.
The most important thing is to try to stay calm without panicking and to stay safe. Take care and enjoy your winter trip!