A sizable swath of our state tends to get hit with a pretty big snow or ice storm every couple years or so, and it looks like one it ready to hit the Old North State this weekend. With that in mind, here are some tips on driving in wintry weather.
- First and foremost, if you can avoid going out, don’t go out. Stay home, snuggle up in a blanket and have some hot chocolate or something. Just don’t go out if you don’t need to.
- Buckle up. You should always do this anyway, but that goes doubly for dangerous, slippery road conditions.
- Take your time speeding up and slowing down. Accelerating slowly helps with traction and will help you avoid skidding.
- Drive slowly too. Remember that starting, stopping and turning all take longer when you’re driving in the snow.
- Stay aware. Driving in the snow is an unusual condition for most people around here, so recognize that it’s different for you and for other drivers.
- Don’t use your cruise control. Hey, I love cruise control and use it every chance I get, but when you’re driving in snow and ice, you want to make sure you are aware of what’s going on around you and you want to be able to react quickly to anything that might happen.
- Double your normal distance from the car in front of you. Definitely do not ride on anybody’s tail.
- Don’t stop if you can avoid it, especially on hills. Try to get a little bit of oomph before you take a hill.