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Do’s and Don’ts while Driving under Winter Conditions
Idot winter road conditions,driving bad weather conditions, mto winter road conditions
Even without winter conditions, driving is dangerous enough. Road users
of today are impatient with each other, they are under all sorts of drugs
and the number of vehicles sharing the roads has increased.
Here is an attempt at tips that could prove to be life saving to thousands,
if not more, of road users. These tips are in no particular order and
one should not be fooled that following either some or even all will save
his/her life. They are just tips and should be treated as just that-helpful
guides:
• Drive slowly. Speeds that thrill kill. A great African
proverb loosely translates to “hurry hurry has no blessing.” Why risk
your life and that of fellow road users, We all want safe roads and it
starts with you!
• Increase distance between vehicles. Driving in snow
would require a 4-second following distance. Driving in snow at night
would require 5 seconds. It is not rocket science to know that we all
have different reaction times and so we need to assume the driver in front
of us is worse than we are and hence give him his space.
• Learn to Brake carefully. From the popular racing game
by E.A Games, “Need for Speed,” we get to learn when to use the hand-brakes,
how the vehicle behaves as it skids. You do not need to play the game
or practice or use trial & error in real-life situations to learn
braking. You just have to use the basics taught in all driving schools
about braking. The most important thing is to apply constant pressure
and stop assuming pumping will help.
• Drive carefully as you approach icy areas. Bridges,
overpasses, shady spots and intersections should be approached carefully
and with reduced speed. If the rumbling sound of your tires on the pavement
suddenly ceases, get off the gas immediately-it may be black ice.
• Drive on the tracks made by other vehicles in snow.
The vehicles grip on the ground is better in the tracks made by tire traffic.
This is why its important to stay in the ruts. When you have to move out
of these tracks, grip the wheel firmly and move slowly and smoothly.
• Stay at home unless you can’t avoid it! One should
be on the road in extreme winter conditions unless it is a case of emergency.
“The boss will understand!”
• Avoid “Four-wheel Drive” Seduction. There is a general
misconception that four-wheel driving provides more grip/traction than
two wheel driving under all extreme conditions. While this may be so for
slow speeds, it does not make any difference while driving fast under
extreme winter conditions.
• Check Your Vehicle’s Traction at Low Speeds. Sometimes
snow can have reasonable traction, or a seemingly dry road can be treacherous
because of ice crystals embedded in the pavement. This is why it is important
that you do an assessment of the road by applying brakes and releasing.
All in all, make educated conclusions from the observations.
What next after loss of control?
Even with all these safety measures, accidents will happen because that
is the definition of the word “accident.” Many drivers who have been in
an accident claim that the last thing one looks at just as he is about
to crush is what he hits. That is why we see vehicles that have hit trees
in an area that this could have been avoided. Braking and overcompensating
on the steering is not the answer as this worsens the skid because braking
transfers weight to the front wheels and takes it off the back wheels.
If and when the tires lose their grip or when the car begins to skid,
get off the gas immediately and avoid braking. Turn the steering wheel
in small increments in the same direction that you want the front end
to go until you regain control and can proceed at a safer speed.
These tips will be important to you as a road user and they should be
ignored at your own peril. All in all, use common sense. Have a safe Journey!
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