Driving in winter can be tricky, especially for some amateur drivers. Winter season is a cold season coupled with snow, ice, and freezing temperatures, which affects normal driving conditions. During winter, you will wake up to find your truck covered with snow. Staying safe during winter depends on preparing your truck against winter hazards and your general driving habit. All in all, you must maintain common sense when driving in winter. The tips in this guide will be vital to you as you prepare to drive during winter.
Prepare Your Tires
When you live in a country where snow usually falls during winter, you must make adequate preparations before the snow falls. The basic preparations go to the wheels. Driving in snow is risky, especially when you do not have the right tires.
Ensure you install snow tires that offer you more traction and better handling in such adverse conditions. The snow tires will prevent your truck from skidding or even getting stuck in the snow. For more traction, you can chain your tires.
When Driving In Winter, Ensure your Headlights And Windshield Wipers Are On
When snow is coming down, the visibility reduces, increasing the risk of an accident. When you turn on your headlights, you will be more visible to other road users, and the chances of a head-on collision will be minimal.
When the snow comes down, the windshield wipers will be handy. Use them at a considerable speed to allow your windshield to be free from snow, and you will be able to see more clearly. When you use the headlights and the wipers, your visibility will increase as you drive in the snow.
If necessary, Accelerate or Decelerate Slowly
During winter, your tire might take time to regain traction when you accelerate. Your truck might skid when you accelerate faster. Decelerating faster can also increase your chances of skidding. Always ensure you slowly accelerate or decelerate whenever you approach an intersection. Doing this will keep you safe every time.
Increase Your Following Distance
Driving in winter leads to the road being unclear. Your truck will take a long distance to stop on an icy road. When traveling behind other cars, it is necessary to increase your following distance to give yourself a good stopping distance. Keeping a safe space is essential when your truck is prone to sliding whenever you decelerate on icy roads.
Brake Sooner
Starting to brake sooner on an icy road is life-saving. Bare at the back of your mind that it will take your truck time to stop in wet and snowy conditions. Applying firm and steady pressure on your brake pedal is vital and start braking sooner than you usually do. Combined with an increased following distance, doing this will protect your truck from slamming into the vehicle in front of you in case your brakes take longer to stop your truck.
Conclusion
Driving in winter is challenging because the winter season is accompanied by poor visibility and traction. An additional tip to safe winter diving is to ensure your battery is healthy because extreme colds might interfere with the way your battery charges. When driving your truck in winter, practice safety and be cautious to protect yourself and other road users.