With the first snow of the winter season in the forecast, AAA Central Penn encourages drivers to follow these tips to stay safe on wintry roadways.
Tips for Driving in the Snow
- Stay home. Only go out if necessary. It’s best to avoid venturing out and taking unnecessary risks.
- Drive slowly. Drive at a lower speed to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply gas slowly to gain traction and avoid skids. Take more time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
- Increase your following distance. This will provide a longer distance if you have to stop.
- Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
- Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
- Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads can make your wheels spin. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach a hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.
- Don’t stop going up a hill. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on a hill.
- Cruise control off. Do not use cruise control when driving on icy or snowy roads.
Additional Cold Weather Driving Tips
- Gear up. Keep a bundle of cold-weather gear in your car including extra food and water, warm clothing, a flashlight, a glass scraper, abrasive materials like sand or kitty litter in case your vehicle gets stuck, blankets, jumper cables, cell phone charger and medications.
- Fuel up. Keep at least half a tank of fuel in your vehicle at all times.
- Warm up outside only. Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
- Check your tires. Make certain your tires are properly inflated and have plenty of tread.
- Lights on. Check your headlights, brake lights, turn signals, emergency flashers and interior lights.
