 |
|
|
|
|
01/03/2002
Safety & Education Committee Update
Winter Driving Tips
Old Man Winter appears to have finally arrived. For a tower hand that means it is time to find and dust off the heavy gloves, socks, hats, and snowsuits. Another issue that comes along with the winter season is hazardous driving conditions. Unless you work exclusively in the warm weather states, (lucky you!) at some point this winter we will all be dealing with driving in rain, freezing rain, sleet, slush, snow and/or ice. There is not much we can do about the other drivers on the road or the weather, but the following are a few things we can do to help us stay safe when driving in winter weather conditions:
1) Make sure to remove all snow and ice from
all windows and mirrors before driving
the vehicle. Don’t be the one who flies
out of the parking lot as soon as a hole
the size of a baseball is defrosted on
the bottom of the windshield. Keep an
ice-scraper and brush in your truck and
utilize the different de-icing products
that are available, if necessary.
2) Check windshield wiper condition and
fluid levels. It’s too late to find out
that your windshield wipers don’t work
after the semi has passed you and covered
your windshield with a half-inch of
slush. Keep extra wiper fluid on hand
and available and replace wiper blades
when needed.
3) Keep lights clean. Dirt, salt and sand
can accumulate on headlights and brake
lights, reducing their ability to
illuminate. Make it a point to check
lights and clean when necessary.
4) Evaluate tire conditions. Obviously the
tires are the only part of the vehicle
that grips the road. If there is not
much tread on the tire, then there will
not be much grip on the road.
5) Reduce speed and increase following
distances. This may be the single-most
important rule to follow when driving in
poor weather conditions.
6) Be especially careful of overpasses as
they are usually the first part of a road
to freeze and the last to thaw. Also be
aware that roads can be icy without
actually being able to see ice or snow on
the road. This condition is usually
referred to as "black ice," and occurs
when there’s moisture on the road
followed by a freeze. Expect black ice in
the early morning hours after a hard
freeze the night before.
7) If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle,
use it. Having four-wheel drive won’t
guarantee that you won’t encounter
problems. But in general, a four-wheel
drive vehicle will provide more control
than a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow
and ice conditions.
8) Watch the weather and plan accordingly.
To the extent possible try to plan drive
time in a way that will avoid driving in
hazardous conditions. When you must
drive in hazardous conditions plan for
the drive to take longer and make the
appropriate adjustments. If weather
turns so bad that you can’t see or don’t
feel comfortable, pull off the road at a
safe spot and wait for the weather to
pass. It is better to wait than to end
up in a ditch, or worse.
9) Stick to the major roadways. The major
roadways are usually the first to get the
snowplows, and salt and sand trucks.
10) Don’t’ drink and drive. I recently read
an article about an auto accident that
took the lives of eight college
students/athletes from Wyoming. They
were all in a SUV and were hit head on by
a drunk driver. All eight died. The
drunk driver, who was about twice the
legal limit, walked away without even a
broken bone. Enough said.
It’s not a bad idea to keep jumper cables, a tow strap, a blanket or two, reflective triangles, cones or flares in trucks. If you’re driving commercial motor vehicles you probably have these items in your vehicles already. Hopefully these tips will better equip us for handling the driving challenges the next few months will bring.
Have a safe holiday season and a happy New Year.
By: Ryan Genth
Ryan is a member of the NATE Safety & Education Committee and serves as the Safety/Program Manager for the Indianapolis Tower Division of Emergency Radio Services. He can be reached at 317-821-0422 or rgenth@erstower.com
Ryan Genth
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
