Winter Driving Tips #FordDriveSafe

Winter Driving Tips #FordDriveSafe

Conversation brought to you by Ford. All opinions are my own.

snowcoveredroad

As a mom to a teen driver, I get a little tense as the weather changes. I know that my son has a fabulous base under him since attending the Ford Driving Skill for Life program, but it’s a mother’s duty to worry.

I thought that I would compile a list of my most frequently “nags” in hopes that maybe one or two of them might be helpful for you and your teen drivers.

Winter Driving Tips:

  • Warm it up. Give your car time to warm up. If you’ve parked outside take this time to clear snow from windows and the hood. Snow blowing off your vehicle can hamper visibility of the vehicles behind you.
  • Keep it outside. Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage. Carbon Monoxide build up can be fatal.
  • Check your tires. Tire pressure can and will change with changing temperatures. Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
  • Fill it up. Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid your gas line from freezing-up or from running out of gas.
  • Never cruise. You need full control of your vehicle during snow/winter driving, but especially when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand). Avoid using cruise control during these situations.

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  • Look out. In the event of a skid or loss of traction always look and steer where you want to go.
  • Safety first. Make it an automatic habit… always use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.
  • Take it slow. The best way to keep traction and avoid skids is to accelerate and decelerate slowly. Always gently stop and give yourself enough room for a stoplight.
  • Give yourself some space. Remember it can take four to ten times more distance to stop in winter weather than on dry pavement. That means give yourself an eight to ten second buffer.
  • Use your headlights. Even if you feel it’s bright enough outside, headlights allow you to see and be seen. Visibility in winter changes on a dime.

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  • Don’t stop. Starting from a complete stop can sometimes be near impossible. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
  • Keep it steady. Stepping on the gas to get up a snow-covered road will just make your wheels spin. Try to get a little speed before you reach the hill and let that carry you to the top.
  • Take the mat. Rubber floor mats make a great item to regain traction when stuck. If you don’t have rubber mats, consider keeping a tube of sand in your trunk.
  • Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can.

 

Do you have any tips I might have missed? Share them in the comments below!

 

 

Comments

  1. Smart tips! Thanks 🙂

  2. Robin Wilson says

    This is a very complete list that every driver, not just teens, should read and then read again. I think the only thing missing is a winter survival kit in case of a break down. It happened to us once, and if we hadn’t had blankets and such in the car it would have been awful.

    • Oh good call! I was just harping on my son to pick up a heavy jacket at the thrift store for his trunk. He refuses to wear a coat on a regular basis, but “just in case” never hurts.

  3. Betsy Barnes says

    These are some great tips! We always keep kitty liter in our trunk, great it you happen to get stuck. Pour in front of stuck tire, gives it traction on snow & ice. :)?

  4. Richard Hicks says

    Good tips for sure. Always good to review them

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