Your Guide to Safe, Efficient, Winter Driving

1
Your Guide to Safe, Efficient, Winter Driving
Vic Whitcroft THSAO
2
Seminar Outline

• Increase your awareness of winter driving hazards
• Inspire you to make adjustments for poor driving
  conditions
• Put the odds safely in your favour

3
Winter Driving Hazards

• Poor traction
• Poor visibility
• Conditions outside the vehicle
• Conditions inside the vehicle
• Other traffic

4
Poor Traction

• Anticipate when traction will be poor
• Black ice
• Bridges
• Curves/ramps
• Shaded areas of the roadway
• Slow down increase following distance

5
Following Distance

• Time interval formula
• Fixed object start count
• Perhaps 4 seconds for a car, van or SUV
• A longer following distance is needed in poor
  conditions
• You must have a safe stopping distance

6
Traction Sharing
7
Traction Sharing

• Braking
• Steering
• Acceleration
• Once traction is lost to one area, it will be
  lost to other areas

8
Your Vehicle

• Coolant levels
• Exhaust system
• Headlights, brake lights tail lights
• Tires, snow tires or all season
• Fuel level
• Pre winter service

9
Poor Visibility

• See and be seen
• Heater and defroster
• Wiper blades
• Clean windows
• Head lights tail lights on

10
Conditions Outside The Vehicle

• Light
• Darkness
• Crosswinds
• Road
• Other vehicles
• Pedestrians

11
Best Defense

• Slow down
• Create more space ahead of your vehicle
• Anticipate weather, road traffic conditions
• Anticipate incorrect actions of other road users
• Look and steer where you want to go

12
Conditions Inside The Vehicle

• The driver
• Vehicle controls
• Mirrors
• Windows
• Loose objects
• Justin case

13
Just In Case

• Emergency kit
• Cables
• Flares/triangles
• Extra clothes
• Candle lighter and tin can
• Cell phone
• Shovel

14
Just In Case

• Ice scraper/snow brush
• Blanket/survival blanket
• Flash light
• Chocolate or candies
• Call police sign
• Winter footwear

15
Sharing The Road

• Tractor trailer units
• School buses
• Transit highway coaches
• Snow plows
• Emergency vehicles
• Motorcycles (it could happen)
• Off road vehicle ( snow mobiles)

16
Useful Information

• Use the standard collision prevention formula
• See (recognize the hazard)
• Think (understand the defense)
• Do (act in time)
• Dont be distracted
• Cell phones
• Eating
• Drinking coffee

17
Recap

• Anticipate changing conditions
• Get up to date weather information
• Carry survival gear
• Ramps
• Bridges
• Shaded areas
• Curves
• Melted snow banks
• Drifted areas
• Recognize signs of black ice

18
Recap

• Adjust to the conditions around you
• Slow down
• Make more space ahead of your vehicle
• Use proper eye lead
• Make sure you can see and be seen
• Report to office any conditions that may
  affect company drivers

19
Be Prepared

• Storms can hit any time after November 1st
• Weather can change quickly
• Know the conditions and the forecast at your
  destination and in between

20
Drive Defensively

• In all seasons
• At all times
• In all weather
• Dont become complacent

21
Thank You