Posts Tagged ‘winter driving’

Tips And Reminders When Driving During Winter Season

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Winter driving can be hazardous and demanding. Wind, snow, snow and blizzard conditions improve the normal dangers of traveling. There is a lot you can do ahead of the winter driving period and during a storm to safeguard yourself and your family. Extra Wide Calf Boots

 

Ahead of winter arrives, get your car inspected to be certain it is ready to the road conditions. You can do this yourself or go to a qualified auto technician. Check the battery, wipers and fluid, thermostat, brakes, ignition technique, antifreeze, exhaust system, lamps, oil level, heating unit and defrosters. Make sure things are in good working order to keep a person safe throughout the winter.

 

Check your tires to be certain they are road set. Install tires which might be appropriate for the driving a car conditions. In moderate amounts of snow, all weather radials will do the job nicely. If you live in a weather where you experience plenty of snow, consider excellent skiing conditions tires. These get better tread to deal with snow and ice.

 

Prepare a crisis kit to keep at the back of your car. This will make sure that you are prepared in the event that you will get stuck in the excellent skiing conditions. Things to include in your kit:

 

Ice scraper

Small broom

Tiny shovel

Kitty kitten or a bag involving sand (to give traction force if you get stuck inside snow or ice)

Blankets or a sleeping bag

Flashlight with batteries

Flares or perhaps warning triangles

Plastic hand bags

First aid kit

Tool kit

Jumper cables

Bright cloth to use as a flag

Help sign for back window

Extra cap and gloves

Water and food to sustain you if you get stuck

A magazine, Bible or Prayer Charge cards to keep you busy and calm in the event you get stuck.

Charged cell phone (usually carry this, specially in the winter)

 

Keep your gas tank at least half full at all times. This adds weight to the car and may ensure that you won’t run out of gasoline in the event you get stuck.

 

Traveling in the Snow

Take notice of the weather forecasts and also road conditions in the winter months months. If the weather is bad, stay home if at all possible. If you must head out, travel in the daylight. You are more likely to seek help if you get stuck throughout the day. Never warm up your automobile in the garage. This produces carbon monoxide, which is poisonous and can kill anyone.

 

When driving, always wear your seatbelt. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the glare of the sun reflecting off of the snow. Know your automobile and how it manages in the snow. Characteristics like traction control and also antilock brakes can be useful within bad weather conditions. Recognize how these work and if your car is new, apply driving it in a very snow covered parking zone before venturing out on the path.

 

Take it slow, especially in frozen conditions. Don’t tailgate and ensure to allow a safe distance between vehicles. Try everything slowly, stopping, quickly moving and turning. Keep plenty of time and space to maneuver. Sliding as well as skidding usually happen whenever turning, stopping as well as accelerating. Going extra slow will ensure your own safety.

 

If the awareness is low, slow even more. Consider getting away from highways and driving a car even slower. This will take you out of the way of large trucks that can cause accidents. Use only your current low beams, as the high beams will certainly reflect back off the snow and won’t enhance your visibility. Turn on your current hazard lights to be sure other drivers see you.

 

In the event your car becomes stuck, don’t get out. Set up the hood and tie your towel to the antennae. This will make an individual more visible in order to emergency vehicles along with other drivers. Keep the house windows, air grill and also tail pipe free from snow. Wrap up within blankets and huddle on top of passengers to stay comfortable. Run the heat regarding fifteen minutes each hour to maintain from freezing. Move your body around to be warm.

 

Keeping your car clean throughout the winter is important. Salt on the roads is important regarding safety, but can wreak havoc on the finish. If left on for too long periods, it can cause rusting. Wash your vehicle once a week to remove salt as well as wax to protect the particular paint. Salt in addition leaves a covering on your headlights that may impair their functioning. This will make you a smaller amount visible to other automobiles. New Lite Headlight Cleaner and Restorer will return the lighting to like new issue.

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How You Can Get The Get The Best Winter Driving Training

Friday, November 4th, 2011

To improve your driving abilities during wintry conditions enrol on an advanced coaching course at the Donington Park Grand Prix circuit. While you're there taking winter driving training lessons why not also make full use of the superb facilities eg the meeting rooms, Donington Park Grand Prix museum, the launch pad and much much more. No matter what your company or personal budget there'll be a driving package that may be prepared online or by telephone, to suit your needs. Here are a few of the driver coaching courses which appear on the net menu:-

Slip auto control

Emergency reaction training on wet or slippy surfaces

Parking and manoeuvring procedures

4×4 off-road training

Trailer towing

There are many packages to choose between that include onsite catering starting with a full English breakfast and finishing with a Gala Dinner complete along with entertainment, what a good deal!

Advantages Of A Winter Driving Course

Company, business and self-employed drivers are only too aware that more frequently than not during winter they don't have any option but to get out on the road to make a living regardless of how bad the weather is. If you've had no coaching in winter conditions then the risks can increase significantly to you and to other vehicle drivers, companies do have a duty of care toward their employees so it could be beneficial to meet obligations by enrolling staff on a winter driving coaching course. The advantages of this are that when the course is finished your staff should be concerned in fewer automobile crashes which can save you money in the long run.

What To Expect On The Course

Drivers are accompanied by pro instructors across the course to learn practical and theoretical aspects of winter driving, each driver will have enough time to control the automobile in slip conditions as well as the employment of winter tyres which can grip surfaces when covered in snow and controlling a 4×4 auto. Courses should be scheduled for at least three folks as the duration is around 3 hours which is based upon 3 drivers.

Additional Information

You can make a booking online by finishing the mandatory enquiry form or call a member of staff for some more information about Donington Park itself. Everyone has a brilliant day, not only having a good time but learning the way to become a better driver also.

D&S Events offer winter driving training courses and many other driving experiences with online bookings and present vouchers

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Staying Safe On The Road: Driving Tips And Advice

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

The winter and driving shopping season is right around the corner. We need to remember that during the cold months, with snow along with freezing conditions, our own driving tactics must change. Accidents will certainly occur on the snow and ice that wouldn’t on dried up pavement. This article will protect the important things to remember and the ways to drive safely. Headboards For Queen Beds

 

What is important that everyone needs to remember is that you cannot end as fast on icy or even snow covered footpath. You need to drive slower which will give you additional time to slow down. When you require to come to a stop everywhere give yourself more time by simply starting to slow down earlier than usual. When driving behind other vehicles make certain you leave a

greater distance between your vehicle in front. Using this method you will have more time for you to slow down and also answer unexpected stops.

 

Slow down everywhere and anything that you do. Take turns slower, drive on straight roadways slower and decrease alittle even on slight shapes in the road. When you have to turn that steering wheel ease of the actual gas appropiately. You need to be purposeful in all your actions. Whenever that you need to push

on the actual pedals, gas or braking system, do it easily and also steady. When making a turn ease which steering wheel slowly , nor make fast jerky motions.

 

Always be aware of your own road conditions. Even if it is not snowing the road will ice upwards in places where there is moisture. This can happen more throughout the overnight hours when it’s colder and there is no sunlight. Sometimes a spot will look just wet however is is actually glaciers, “black ice” as we know it. Be aware of bridges and overpasses. These types of road surfaces will almost always be colder and therefore freezes up first. If you do find yourself on ice simply coast, don’t foot brake or turn the wheel, until you move over it.

 

Drive defensively. Be on the lookout pertaining to other motorists which can be making all of the problems. Approach intersections meticulously looking for other skidding cars. Keep an eye in your rear view mirror for vehicles hitting you against behind. Keep ample distance away from everyone so you don’t end up part of their accident.

 

Despite taking all your precautions you will eventually discover youself to be involved in a slipping situation. When you do, DON’T PANIC! Take your foot of the gas and don’t struck the brakes. Then you definitely want to steer your car or truck into the skid. People constantly hear that try not to know what to do anyway. If you’re driving straight along with the rear of your vehicle is sliding on the left and the

front of the vehicle to the right, you’ll need to countersteer your car on the left. If the car modifies itself then straighten up the wheel out of the house. Sometimes the car will over correct alone and now it is dropping the other way. Take place just countersteer again in the opposite direction.

 

Follow these tips as well as hopefully you won’t get to be the next accident information. People with suv’s are certainly not immune to these rules. Remember not to drive after drinking, stay off of your current cell phone and always put on your seatbelt.

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Winter Is Brutal To Cars

Friday, December 31st, 2010

For decades in the UK, road salt has been used during winter to lower the freezing point of water on road surfaces, preventing ice from forming and causing existing snow to melt.  That’s the theory anyway and it works fine until temperatures drop below minus nine centigrade.  As long as relatively few drivers fit winter tyres, road salt remains a cost effective option for winter road safety. However, road salt causes long-term damage to your car as it attracts and retains moisture and accelerates metal corrosion.

In the rest of northern Europe, where winters are typically more severe and predictable, the use of winter tyres in order to ensure better traction in icy conditions is required by law. Using these tyres is also often specified in any temporary car insurance in these countries. In the UK drivers have never been encouraged to switch tyres and as a result road safety is entirely dependent upon de-icing the highways. Some drivers take it one step beyond simply changing tyres and change their vehicle to cope with harsh weather. Using a borrowed 4WD is often a safer and more cost effective option for one off journeys. Getting short term car insurance cover for the trip is a sensible approach as it will persuade the donor to lend the vehicle by protecting everyone’s no claims bonuses.

Driving style can also influence the likelihood of accidents and damage to a vehicle in any weather.  If you always drive close to the car in front you run the risk of being sand-blasted with grit and road debris.  In the winter months, especially if you’re driving someone else’s vehicle using   day car insurance it’s sensible to leave a bigger gap than normal, not only from a braking perspective, but also to minimise the paint peeling impact from grit and road salt.

 

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Stay Safe Whist Winter Driving

Thursday, December 16th, 2010

If you haven’t already noticed, the weather has already started to turn and temperatures are plummeting. Driving in winter can be a real challenge, especially when their are treacherous conditions such as heavy snow, strong winds and ice on the roads. Here are 4 top tips to remain safe in your car when driving in winter.

Clearing Your Windscreen
It is very important to clear your windscreen and all the other windows in the car of ice and snow before you set of driving. Having even slightly reduced visibility when road conditions are poor can lead to a dramatic increase in the likelihood of having an accident. Avoid using hot water to clear a frozen window at all costs as this can crack or shatter a window as a result of the rapid temperature change.

Winter Tyres or Snow Chains
Depending on the severity of the ice and snow on the roads, you might need to fit winter tyres. With spiked-treads and larger surface area, these provide much needed grip on slippy surfaces. The alternative way to add extra traction is to use snow chains on your wheels, and these have the added benefit of being very portable so you don’t have to worry about sudden changes in weather.

Carry Extra Clothing and Blankets
It is a very good idea to carry spare warm clothing in the car at all times such as beanies, coats and mens or ladies hoodies.It’s often reported drivers getting stuck on the roadside in their cars and its just not possible to power the car heaters with the battery or engine indefinitely.It is also advisable to have some blankets in the car at all times as well. These can be used to wrap up warm in or even help get a stuck care out of snow by when laid over the snow surface in front of the tires.

Food and Drink
As previously mentioned it is common for people to get stuck in their cars in winter conditions for long periods of time. Bearing this in mind, keeping plenty of spare water and food in the car is often a very good idea as it’s important to keep your strength and fluid levels up when the conditions outside are so harsh.

Follow the advice above and you’ll get through the winter and back into your flip flops before you know it

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Safe Winter Driving – 7 Tips For a Safe Ride

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Winter is here and where I live, in Finland, we have just had our first snow with many drivers on slippery roads on plain summer tires.

I was doing a 60 mile trip yesterday, mostly on smaller rural roads where the snow is not spoiled by salt and heavy traffic, and I though to myself:

There’s really no added danger driving in snow conditions. You just need to have a sound understanding of how the car handles on a slippery surface and adjust your driving style accordingly. The danger is if you apply a summer driving style to winter roads.

Rule #1: Slow Down

Whatever you do you can never reach the same speed on a slippery road as on a dry one. Always plan for lower speeds and longer travel times.

Rule #2: Be Really Soft on The Pedals

To keep your car on the road you need grip. When the tires have grip they roll at the speed you’re travelling and the car will go where you point the front wheels.

On slippery roads if you press the gas pedal hard to accelerate, or if you try to break aggressively your wheels will lock and they lose grip.

With no grip your car will slide straight forward and in the direction the road is slanted, down a ditch.

Accelerate and break like you had an egg under the pedal, really softly, and you’ll have a lot more grip to play with.

Rule #3: Keep Your Distance and Slow Down in Time

One of the most common accidents at winter is to drive into the car in front of you when it’s breaking and you notice too late.

The solution is to always maintain a good distance to the car in front, 100-600 feet depending on your speed and read conditions. Keep the distance big enough that you will be able to stop in case the car in front breaks.

Always slow down when you come to a crossing, even if you don’t see any other cars near. This way if there’s a surprise you will still be able to stop.

Rule #4: Break Safely

If you lose control when breaking it’s usually because you locked the wheels of your car by breaking too much. If you find yourself sliding for a ditch or slowly starting a spin just release the breaks for a second or two to regain control and then continue breaking..

Many times you can avoid an accident or reduce the damage by releasing the breaks and steering clear of the obstacle you are about to hit, maybe hitting a snow wall or some bushes instead. This method do require some practise though as the instinct is to push the break pedal as hard as you can.

If your car is equipped with automatic breaking system (ABS) it’s often better to just break and let the car maintain control. But if it’s really slippery even your ABS might lose control and in that case do as above, stop breaking for a second or two and then when you’re in control try breaking again. Read more about your ABS system in your cars manual.

Rule #5: Accelerate Safely

Basically your car can either steer or accelerate. If the road is dry there is enough grip for both acceleration and steering at the same time, but as the road gets icy you need to choose one.

When you go through a corner, don’t accelerate as you need the grip to stay on the road. If you have to accelerate do it slowly and if you lose grip pull back a little on the accelerator until you regain control of your car.

When accelerating too aggressively a rear wheel drive car will lose grip at the read with the risk of spinning around while a front wheel drive car will lose grip in front and unable to turn it will go straight where it’s heading.

You’re car might have a traction control system (TCS) that will make sure you don’t lose grip while accelerating. You will find more information in your cars manual.

Rule #6: Use Good Snow Tires

If your snow season is longer than a month you would do well getting snow tires. They have a much more stable handling on winter roads and reduces the breaking distance significantly.

Check your local laws and regulations to see if snow tires are mandatory and if you are allowed to use tires with studs.

Rule #7: Practice and Learn

The best way to learn winter driving is to find a safe place where you can practise breaking and sliding! Actually trying out how quickly you can stop your vehicle will prepare you for an emergency and give you the gut feeling on how fast you can safely drive on a snow road.

You can find more tips for safe and fuel efficient driving at the fuel economy tips blog at MilesGallon.com

 

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