Understanding road safety tips in icy conditions is part of preparing for winter. As you’ll experience in Canada, winter can start seemingly any time. However early or late it is, being prepared is key. As a driver or person in charge of maintaining their driveway, sidewalk, or roadway, there is much to learn about managing the best icy conditions and reducing the chance of a collision, accident, or injury.
Here are some simple road safety tips for icy conditions:
1. Maintenance Checkup
Vehicles should be checked before winter starts. Ensure they are winter-ready. Fix any issues, such as brakes that don’t work perfectly, oil leaks, engine trouble, and similar issues that can affect road performance.
2. Install Winter Tires
Winter tires improve traction and control in snow and icy conditions and shorten the braking distance by as much as 25%. Ensure your vehicle has winter tires rather than regular or all-season tires. Also, ensure that all four tires are winter-ready. Never mix different types of tires.
3. Have a De-Icer Ready
Use a safe, eco-friendly de-icer, such as bulk magnesium chloride, to eat away at ice and create safer roads when needed. Magnesium chloride can be applied to your driveway, sidewalk, or main roadway.
4. Extra Space Between Vehicles
It will take longer to stop on a slippery road. Be sure to leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you.
5. Use an Ice Scraper
Remove all snow and ice from your windshield, side and back windows, and roof. This eliminates the risk of snow or ice getting in your way. This could delay reaction time or cause a driver not to see a hazard.
6. Reduce Speed
Slow down when driving on ice and snow. High speeds make it difficult to stop, which increases the chance of losing control of your vehicle. Speed must be reduced even on highways to contend with winter elements such as black ice.
7. Wear Your Seatbelt
A seatbelt is an obvious road safety precaution in winter conditions. A minor accident can turn fatal when the occupants are not wearing seatbelts.
8. Drive Cautiously
Systems fail. In winter, your traction control, antilock brakes, stability control, and tires may fail you. This can cause sliding at high speeds that a driver has little control over. Always drive cautiously, knowing your vehicle may not behave as you want it to.
9. Steer Gently Into Curves
Steer gently through curves and turns. In slippery conditions, it will be easier to slide. A hard brake, quick acceleration, or sudden gear change can cause a skid. If this happens, release the brakes and steer your vehicle in the desired direction. This is all you can do in a situation like this.
10. Don’t Panic If You Slide
Does the car slide? Don’t panic. As mentioned, turn the steering wheel carefully in the direction you want it to take. Do not steer too far, aka overcorrecting. This can cause your car to slide in the other direction, and all control will be lost.
11. Don’t Hit the Brakes Hard
Go easy when hitting the brakes. You may lose control of your vehicle if you hit it too hard. ABS does not work well on ice and snow. They can lock up. Sliding wheels cannot be controlled, and steering won’t avoid an accident. Be careful when applying your brakes for all of these reasons.
12. Know Where Surrounding Vehicles Are
Accidents in icy conditions are just as likely to happen to you or the drivers around you. Be aware of all vehicles nearby. Your greatest threat may be another uncontrolled, out-of-control vehicle.
13. Wait to Drive On Icy Roads
Please wait for the plows and de-icers to do their job before driving during a storm or when the road is covered in ice. There are a few occasions where you will need to risk safety to drive when the roads are unsafe. Wait for the plows to clear what’s there.
14. Drive Alert
Put the phone down. Ensure you’ve had enough sleep and are awake. Focus on the road before you drive and know what the road’s surface looks like. Any area that’s black and shiny could be covered in ice. Alternatively, know that under bridges and overpasses freeze first.
15. Be Seen
Your vehicle’s lights should work. In poor visibility and whiteout conditions, keep your vehicle properly lit.
16. Pack a Winter Survival Kit
If the worst happens and your vehicle breaks down mid-winter, a winter survival kit will ensure you’re ready. Your kit should include a charged phone for emergency, water, a flashlight, a blanket, warm clothes, jumper cables, a shovel, candles, and a lighter. Keep it tucked away in your vehicle.
