Winter Driving Safety Tip
Jason Anglin, Safety & Risk Management Council 1-2020

As we continue to endure the cold weather months, winter driving has the potential to be hazardous. Often accidents and incidents can be avoided by simply preparing and planning.

PREPARE

Maintain Your Car – Keep your windows clear and regularly check the battery, tire tread, windshield wipers, no-freeze washer fluid, and antifreeze.

Stock Your Car – Make sure to have a flashlight, jumper cables, abrasive material (i.e., sand, kitty litter, floor mats), shovel, snow brush and ice scraper, warning devices (i.e., flares) and blankets. For longer trips, take food, water, medications, a cell phone, and back-up batteries.

Stopped or Stalled? Stay in your car, don’t overexert, put bright markers on the antenna or windows, and turn on the dome light. If you run your car to stay warm, be sure to clear the exhaust pipe and run it only enough to stay warm.

PLAN

Know Your Route – Allow plenty of time and check the weather before you leave to know if you should head out early. Be familiar with the directions, and let others know your route and arrival time.

Practice Cold Weather Driving – Steer into a skid to know what your brakes will do (stomp on antilock brakes, pump on non-antilock brakes). Remember that stopping distances are longer on ice, water and snow, and don’t idle for long periods of time with the windows up.

Protect Yourself and Your Children – Buckle up and use child safety seats properly. Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag and keep children 12 years of age and younger in the back seat.

Prevent Accidents – Slow down and increase distances between cars. Keep your eyes open for pedestrians walking in and along the sides of the road, get plenty of rest before the trip, and stop at least every three hours and rotate drivers if possible.

Stay focused and keep yourself, coworkers and your family safe this winter.