Snow Smarts - A Guide for Mastering the Icy Roads

 

If you are new to driving in the snow or an experienced driver, there's always something new that we can learn. Meteorologist Lauren Brand took us back to driving school to ask one of the instructors the best way to deal with these slippery conditions.

Caleb, a driving instructor at National Driver Training in Colorado Springs, tells us that "a lot of times, people tend to drive a little too fast. They tend to overestimate their abilities and overestimate their vehicles". He recommends that drivers slow down and allow themselves plenty of time to get to their destination.

While on the road, some hazards might be easier to spot than others. Black ice is notorious for hiding in the shadows and causing drivers to slip on the roads. Black ice can be especially bad on bridges and overpasses. This is because colder air temperatures are allowed to pass underneath them and cool them down more so than the surrounding pavement. There are some conditions to watch out for when trying to look out for black ice. "You can kind of see that shine and see how other people are spinning on it".

Caleb also mentions that it is important to check what kind of brakes that you have on your car. "A lot of vehicles have anti-lock brakes or some sort of that, but just because a vehicle is newer doesn't mean that it has that". He mentions that if you have anti-lock brakes you actually do not want to pump your brakes because that can cause to slide. You can check your car's manual to see what kind if brakes you have.

If you are wondering what to do when your car starts to slide, Caleb explains that you want to steer in the direction that your car is sliding. "If your back end, of your car, is sliding to the right you want to steer to the right to keep yourself in line".

His last advice to newer snow drivers is "When police go on accident alert, you want to ask yourself if its worth the risk of leaving your house". You could be putting yourself and other drivers in danger.

If you do find yourself stuck on the side of the road, Caleb mentions that you can use the mats by your feet in your car to help you get out of that spot. These mats have spikes on the bottom and can act as traction mats.

Next time you find yourself on the roads during slippery conditions, you want to give yourself enough time to properly brake.