It’s that time of the year when driving and traveling can become quite dangerous. The following winter travel tips could save your vacation or maybe even your life.
1. Make sure your car is checked over for winter weather readiness. In particular, you or a mechanic should check your tires before the first big winter storm. Cold weather reduces tire pressure, so check and adjust frequently. Tire tread depth should be at least 1/8-inch. Don’t forget to check and fill up on fluids and make sure your windshield wipers are in the best condition. An extra jug of windshield wiper fluid in the trunk is a good idea.
2. Pack a winter travel safety kit. Assemble a basic kit including a pair of gloves, weather-resistant pants and/or coat, maybe an old pair of boots, a blanket, jumper cables, a flashlight with some extra batteries and a windshield scraper and brush. Include a cell phone, a tow rope, blankets, a candle, matches, a good book, a portable weather radio and a can of lock de-icer. (Never use hot water on glass or locks — it will refreeze and create a bigger problem.) Some safety experts recommend putting a bag of kitty litter in the trunk, both for added ballast to offer better traction and to put under the wheels if you need to get yourself out of a slippery spot.
3. Know your route and keep track of weather conditions. The Web can be great source of current weather information. Make a list of Department of Transportation road-condition hotlines and consult them every few hours while you’re on the road. If you anticipate bad traffic or driving weather and do not have access to the Internet, dial 5-1-1 for traffic updates. The menu-based system can be slow and cumbersome to navigate but the time you spend might save you even more time creeping along an interstate surrounded by big snowflakes and bigger trucks.
4. Make frequent rest stops. Winter travel is more tiring than summer cruising, so stop every hour or so. Get out, stretch — maybe even make a few snow angels. It takes only five minutes to significantly improve your level of alertness.
5. Drink plenty of water. When the weather is chilly, dehydration might seem unlikely, but according to a study by the Mayo Clinic, as little as a 1-2 percent loss of body weight can lead to fatigue and reduced alertness — both of which can be deadly when you are driving in icy conditions. Carry (and drink) five to six 16-ounce bottles of water per day. Keep them with you in the passenger compartment, as they might freeze in the trunk.
6. Eat enough food. Your body needs more nourishment in cold weather than it does in warm. Avoid candy bars and other quick-sugar-release snacks. Sandwiches, fruit or a thermos of hearty stew are much better choices. Carry a day’s worth of high-energy food and water in a warm area of your vehicle in case you are stranded for a few hours.
7. Slow down. A good rule of thumb is to reduce speed by 50 percent in snowy conditions. Blasting through snowdrifts may look cool in TV advertisements but it’s way too hard on your vehicle to be worth it. Equally important: Don’t go too slow. Your car needs momentum to keep moving through snow on grades.
8. Keep a light touch on the controls. Smooth operation is the key to keeping control in slippery situations. Nervousness can lead to a hard clench of the steering wheel, which can result in loss of control. Consciously loosen your grasp or stretch out your fingers from time to time to help prevent that white-knuckled grip.
9. Know how to recover from skids. When braking on a slippery road, it’s all too easy to “lock up” your wheels by stepping on the brakes a little too hard. If you start to skid, steer the vehicle gently in the direction you want the front of your vehicle to go and don’t touch your brakes. This used to be called “turning into the skid,” but tests have shown that drivers often misinterpret these words in real-life situations.
10. If you get stuck, stay in your vehicle. Stay warm and wait for assistance. Make sure that your exhaust pipe is clear of any obstructions, including snow and ice; if you don’t, carbon monoxide gas can build up inside the vehicle. If you prefer not to have the engine running the whole time, close the windows to keep heat in and run the car for perhaps 10 minutes every hour, opening a front window a crack when you do so.
This is a compilation of several Internet sources including msnbc.com and independenttraveler.com.
