You Are What You Eat

One of the common mistakes driving in the snow: riding the brakes! Or thinking that having 4 wheel drive will let you drive anywhere, anyway you want. One time coming down a hill, I saw someone in front of me with their brakes on – sliding everywhere. I knew he could not hear me, but kept yelling – take your foot off the brake! After he sideswiped a few cars, he finally stopped. You could tell he was a ‘newbie’ to driving in the snow.

Why is it so hard to drive in the snow? Snow can be heavy and wet, light and powdery, cold and icy. Those passing you can create a “white out”, making it impossible to see. Every time it snow’s, conditions of the road and vehicle changes a little bit, just enough to keep you on your toes.

Tires make a huge difference. Winter is not the time to have bad tires. What are the laws in your state? Are you still allowed to have studded tires? Who remembers the old fashion sawdust tires? They were great. Going over mountain passes may require chains.

Another factor is the weight of your car. My pickup had to have weight put in the back end or would get stuck – especially at intersections. Front wheel drive vehicles are so much better than rear wheel. Do they still make rear wheel? Manual transmissions are easier to rock your car out of a spot than automatics.

A safety tip for winter driving: Always have emergency kit in your car -- blankets, snacks, water, flashlights. Keep the gas tank on the full side instead of empty. Take some of the worry out of winter driving. Be prepared and think – slow, easy does it, and safety first.