Winter Driving
Winter Driving: Winter driving brings its own challenges. Winter is a great season for holidays, offering wonderful opportunities for weekend getaways, and visiting friends and relatives during the holidays. But winter travel can quickly become winter trauma if you aren’t prepared for the extra challenges of winter driving. Winter weather can make road conditions unpredictable, and sometimes treacherous.
Reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces make winter driving particularly hazardous. Good observation is essential so that you can interpret conditions accurately and adjust your speed accordingly.
No matter what the other conditions, if you can’t see the road clearly, you will need to reduce your speed so that you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear. This is a simple and fundamental principle of defensive driving.
In winter, road surfaces are frequently covered by frost and ice, but often not uniformly. Isolated patches and certain gradients will remain icy when the other parts have thawed. The good driver will therefore be on the lookout for these areas. If you drive too fast on a slippery or wet road surface your tyre grip will be substantially reduced and the risk of skidding increased.
Remember – it is better to arrive a little later than not at all! Smooth control is another essential element of safer winter driving. You should always aim to plan your action early and brake, steer and change gear as smoothly as possible so as not to affect the grip of your tyres on the road surface. In poor weather especially, better, safer driving is about good preparation, good self-maintenance, good vehicle maintenance, the right knowledge, the right attitude and a thoughtful driving plan.
- Some of training area include:
- Preparing your vehicle
- Planning your journey
- Driving in ice and snow
- Driving in fog
- Winter and spring sun
Before you hit the road in winter, take time to prepare yourself and your vehicle for winter driving. I will teach you additional winter driving techniques that will keep you safe and well prepared for the unexpected to help make those cold, chilly winter drives safe and successful.
