Keeping You and Your Neighbour Safe on the Roads this Winter
November 28, 2019
Now that you've gotten your vehicle ready for winter, you're ready to hit the snow-covered streets, right? Are you sure? How about a little refresher of important things to remember when you're driving in the winter?
Stay informed.
Check the weather forecast before you leave – for both your morning and evening commutes. You'll want to be prepared for any mid-day weather shifts.
Exercise patience.
Remember, everything takes longer when you drive in the winter – from scraping and clearing your car to driving to your destination. Leave yourself enough time to get where you’re going.
Leave enough space.
In the summer, the three-second rule for minimum distance between you and the car ahead is a good one. For winter, try a six-second rule. This give you more time to react in an emergency situation.
Take a practice run.
If you haven’t driven in winter conditions in a while, or feel a little tentative, take some time and practice your winter driving when you’re not under any time pressure. Find a safe locale (an empty parking lot) and practice starting, braking and turning.
Be seen.
In the limited visibility season of winter, you want to be seen. Make sure your lights are on – even if you have automatic or day-time running lights, turning on your regular headlights is a good idea as they are often brighter and will enable other drivers to see you more clearly.
What’s your favourite winter driving tip? Let us know in the comments!
~ Rose R.
Remember how icy it can be even when the roads seem clear. Fender benders are not just a paperwork hassle, they can cause serious injury.
Posted by: Alexandra LeMay | November 29, 2019 at 10:31 AM
Clean your car off! It amazes me to see vehicles on the roads and they only have a circle cleaned on their windows to see through and their tops are covered in snow. It flies off when traveling, people, and can cause an accident!
Posted by: Betty Lalonde | December 02, 2019 at 09:32 PM
If you do start to slip, don't jam on the brakes. That will only aggravate your skid. Instead, pump them gently.
Posted by: florida town | December 03, 2019 at 06:35 PM
Please use turn signal well before reaching ( almost a block) the actual turn.
Posted by: l. Korella | December 05, 2019 at 11:10 PM