We’ve made it through January and, from what I’ve seen on the roads, almost everyone still needs a refresher in keeping calm and carrying on when the weather goes white. Now I’ll admit, I’m not the most organized individual, but after 37 long winters as a very anxious winter driver in the miserable Midwest, I can speak with some authority on how to make your winter driving experience as painless as possible.
Having a covered place to park during bad weather improved my life immeasurably, so I get it; maybe you’re hungover, or tired, or just plain lazy. But you’ve got to clean off your car. No matter how cold it is outside, no matter how annoying the task. It’s will impact your visibility and the visibility of people around you, and that’s just not smart when you’re driving.
Visibility is key at all times when driving. Anything you can do to increase your ability to see is a requirement, especially in the winter, Don’t leave defeating ice up your heat vents and defrost setting—get scraping as best you can.
It’s just polite and will help keep excess water and mud out of the foot wells.
It is a good idea, or at least a harmless one, to let your car run for at least 30 seconds before putting it in gear, especially in the winter. However, some people will leave their motor running in order to warm up the HVAC system and interior of their vehicle. That means you are either a. leaving your car running and unlocked where unsavory characters have access to it or b. leaving your car running in a closed garage, which comes with a nice dose of brain damage from toxic fumes. Save yourself the headache (literally or figuratively) and be chilly inside your car for a few minutes. It won’t kill ya. Being cheap on the next items on this list might, though.
We often preach the Good Word about snow tires on this site, and, if you live in a place with a lot of snow, then we’ll preach it again: snow tires are the way to go. However, a really good pair of all-seasons can often allow much of the country to limp through the occasional snow storm. The important thing is the treads need to be in decent shape. My tire guy recently told me the penny test is out of date, and now the quarter test is the standard. It goes like this, take a U.S. quarter and place George Washington head-first into the tread. If the tread reaches the prez head, you’re good to go. If not, it’s time to think about some new shoes.
Same goes with windshield wipers. There is nothing more miserable than realizing a few minutes into a snowy drive that your windshield wipers are not up to snuff.
Been using the orange or green stuff all summer? Time to get you some blue or purple stuff. Summer windshield wiper fluid uses more water and is formulated more for biological messes, like bugs and bird droppings. The blue stuff comes with de-icer, so it can clear your windshield even in frigid temperatures.
I’m paranoid about getting stuck in the snow somewhere. There have been snowstorms that trap people for days in their cars. What a nightmare. Due to this highly improbably and unusual fear I have a space blanket and bottles of water in the trunk at all times.
A good way to strand yourself in all kinds of weather, however, is to not have a decent spare. I know some cars don’t allow for spares, but if yours does, get it checked out. And keep an old pair of gloves back there as well. Getting a flat is miserable, but changing a flat doesn’t have to be.
Just slow down! It’s not that hard! Some of y’all act like it’s your constitution right to break the speed limit I swear. It even takes less effort than driving at full speed on unsuitable roads. Give your self a lot of extra time to get where you’re going and give yourself double stopping time when you hit the brakes and you’ll be fine.
Oh yeah bruv, sick Wrangler. It’s got four-wheel drive, so you can drive like a dingus anywhere you want to go. While yes, your 4x4 vehicle will get you from stop to go without too much slipping, it still has its limits. Trying to stop without enough traction will not end well for anyone, which is why you still need winter tires on even 4x4 vehicles and to not drive like a jerk. This goes for all-wheel drive vehicles, too. Yes, they’re different.
Ope! Even though you were going slow on decent tires, it seems you’ve lost control of your car a little bit. It can be a little scary (or thrilling) but don’t panic. In these situations your mind should snap into sharp focus on a term you’ve heard over and over again:“turn into the skid.”
What the hell does that mean? A simpler way to say it might be turn towards the direction you want to go.
Don’t hit the brake or the accelerator—you don’t need any more inputs when you’re not exactly in control of the vehicle. When you get facing the right direction you can slowly keep on your merry way
You risk putting your car into a skid if you use cruise control in the wrong conditions. It’s much safer to be present, giving the car slow and steady inputs in order to be in complete control of the vehicle.
The slush always turns to ice on elevated roads first. Exits and on ramps and bridges should be approached with extreme caution in bad weather.
Lurking under compressed layers of snow and ice is the dreaded pothole. It’s a constant race to get these things patched up before the next freeze, and there’s no way to get all of them. If you’re driving slowly (which you already should be if the road is covered in snow) you should be able to generally spot suspicious depressions in the road.
This rule goes for both the interior and exterior of your vehicle. Freezing temperatures are no good for your vehicle, but it could be argued that the corrosive nature of road salt is even worse. Just ask anyone who lives up north—it’s the cancer of cars and should be removed as soon as possible.
Make sure to occasionally spruce up the interior as well. It can be easy to leave something in a car and forget about it when the weather is sucky and you’re not using your car as much. Clutter can accumulate quickly over time, as well as dust and smudges, so give your car a courtesy wipe down in between fall detailing and spring cleaning.
Ain’t no shame in it. We got a surprise four inches today and first thing I did was make a cup of tea and cancel my appointments and plans. I’d rather stay home for a silly storm than die on the road going out in the snow for a stupid reason.