Tip 4: Be Prepared
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Equipment, research and knowledge are three areas in which drivers need to be prepared. Equipment such as a V8 truck and a towrope are useful; however, a simple vehicle kit can do the trick. A basic vehicle kit checklist includes:
Extra warm clothes
Extra shoes/boots
Extra blanket (the marathon “space blankets” are warm and compact)
Snacks
Bottled water
Lighter/matches
Candles
Flashlight
Shovel
Ice scraper
Extra pair of gloves
First aid kitAnother effective way drivers can be prepared for winter driving is to check a reliable weather report. Finally, there are several signs every driver should recognize to identify a potentially dangerous situation:
Watch other vehicles.
Are they going slowly?
Are they slipping, sliding or fishtailing?
Are there vehicles in a ditch? These are strong indicators that the road is slicker than it appears. If other vehicle’s tires are spraying snow or water, it’s an indication that the road is not frozen. However, roads are most dangerous when temperatures are right around freezing. Foust maintains that dangerous conditions exist when temperatures are just below freezing. These temperatures create ice underneath water on the road, causing very slick conditions. Also, drivers should be conscious of ice build-up on their windshield. While this may be an indication of poor quality wipers, it’s often an indicator of below freezing temperatures.
