GOOD DRIVING PRACTICES IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS.

*DRIVE SMOOTHLY AND SLOWLY AND SCAN AHEAD; recognize and drive to the conditions, especially on snow- and ice-covered roads.  Making abrupt stops or turns when driving could cause you to lose control and skid. The leading cause of skids in newer vehicles is moving too fast for the conditions.

*SMOOTH ACCELERATION: Applying pressure to the gas pedal too quickly can cause weight to transfer to the rear of the vehicle, which raises the front end and reduces front wheel traction. 

*SMOOTH BRAKING: Heavy braking can shift the weight to the front of the vehicle, causing it to dip down and lift the rear wheels. This can lead to a rear wheel skid, especially in rear-wheel drive vehicles like a half-ton truck.

*MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE: Always keep a safe space around your vehicle while driving. This means having a cushion of space in front of, behind, and on both sides of your vehicle.

*INCREASE FOLLOWING DISTANCE: Maintain a minimum following distance of three (3) seconds behind other vehicles. Increase this distance in deteriorating conditions.

*MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE WHEN STOPPED: Keep at least one car length between your vehicle and the one in front of you when stopped. This provides an escape route in case the vehicle in front stalls or there's a risk of a rear-end collision.

*BEWARE OF SURROUNDING VEHICLES: Always be aware of the vehicles behind you when stopping or slowing down.

*CHECK YOUR REAR-VIEW MIRROR: Glance in your rear-view mirror every time you brake or slow down. Over 75% of two-vehicle crashes are rear-end collisions.

*MANAGING SKIDS: Skids can result from over-acceleration, oversteering, or abrupt braking. If your vehicle starts to skid, do not apply the brakes. Instead, look in the direction you want to go and steer accordingly. Consider taking winter driving lessons to better understand your vehicle's capabilities.

*TRACTION CONTROL: Traction control cannot increase traction; it only helps prevent wheel spin. If you are stuck in snow, turn off traction control and try rocking your vehicle back and forth to free it.

*AVOID CRUISE CONTROL IN POOR CONDITIONS: Never use cruise control in snowy, icy, or wet conditions. If your car hydroplanes, it may try to accelerate, leading to a loss of control.

*CAUTION ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES: These areas can be particularly dangerous in winter due to shading, which can cause ice to form. Bridges can be -2 colder than the road

*BEWARE OF BLACK ICE: Roads become more hazardous when temperatures approach freezing, as water can collect on top of ice, creating a slick surface known as black ice, especially at night.

*EMERGENCY KIT: Always keep an emergency kit in your vehicle.

For registered clients, see www.progressivedriving.ca under training tips for more information.