Preparing for Winter Driving

One of my previous trucks, a 2010 Ford F150 (taken February 2019).

As I left for work this morning the roads looked in pretty good shape. The air temp was near zero so I cranked up the heat. "Finally, a normal commute without sketchy roads," I thought. Then I took the turn off my street and felt the rear of my car slide out. Thankfully I wasn't going fast so I didn't slide far. I then noticed it was lightly raining and remembered that the air temp was near zero--a perfect recipe for "black ice." As I got onto the major roads I picked up speed, only to realized that my windshield was freezing over as the rain hit it. I turned off the comfortable heat and cranked it full blast on the windshield defroster.  

As I kept driving I saw 2 sedans that had slid off the road and were stuck. It served as my reminder that I should continue to keep it slow. As I entered the interstate I picked up speed, and then realized that it made the rain hit my windshield even faster and my defroster couldn't keep up. Spraying my windshield with washer fluid and cleaning it with my wipers only made things worse since I ran out of sub-zero degree washer fluid just 2 days prior and had put in a bit of my summer washer fluid to get me by--but on a day like today, that wouldn't help.

So what can we both learn? Get prepared! Just after work today I picked up a couple jugs of -25 degree washer fluid. As I write this it's currently -5 degrees with a -18 degree wind-chill... I'd better put that fluid in my car soon! 

After years of living up in Da Cold Nort of MinnaSNOWta, I've learned a few things on how to prepare for driving during the winter months. "Believe for the best, but plan for the worst," it's been said. That should apply to all arenas of life, but we'll keep it with cars for now. 

Pre-Driving Tips:

• Get your car in good shape mechanically. That could mean replacing your battery if it struggled to start even before the cold hit, or upgrading to a heavier duty battery that can handle the cold temperatures. It could mean buying a set of winter tires, getting an oil change, getting new brakes, or something else. You don't want to be stranded on the side of the road, especially with a dead car in bitter cold temperatures.
  
  
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  Pack off-road car gear. 
  If you drive a car that doesn't have a recovery point, look up if your car has a turn-buckle screw buried in your trunk by your spare tire that you can install. Leave it installed all winter. Regardless of what you drive pack an extra phone charging cable, ice scraper, a mini snow-shovel, a tow strap rated for at least the weight of your car (for pulling or being pulled out of the snow), and jumper cables (or better yet a portable battery jumper/air compressor). If you've got a hitch, make sure you've got your ball mount packed too in case you need a rear recovery point. If you don't already have rubber floor mats with an aggressive tread pattern, look into buying a set (they're great year round too!)--you can use them to help drive out of the snow if stuck. 

• Pack winter-wear. It should go without saying, but if it's cold out, either wear or at least pack your winter jacket, hat, gloves, and a scarf. And if the weather looks like a recipe for an ugly drive, wear your winter boots, and even pack your snow-pants. None of us plan on being in a ditch, but if we are, we want to be ready to either stay warm until help arrives if the car won't run, or to get out and see what we can do to dig ourselves out.
  
  
• Pack emergency food. I personally keep some bars and a couple water bottles in my car. If you frequently travel with your family, pack enough for everyone for a day. Try to find space for your food and water near the front of your car rather than the trunk. Just remember to seal it up well to keep the critters from making themselves at home in a warm car--with food to boot!
  
  
• Toilet paper. That's right--I said it!🤣 You never know how long you'll be stranded, so...
  
  

Driving Tips:

When you finally hit the road, remember, "Slow and steady wins the race." Or at least they make it to work and back and don't end up in a ditch, or worse.

• Check the road conditions. Once you pull out of your driveway and onto your street, slam your brakes. Did you slide? How far? Repeat this once you pull onto the next major road (just make sure no cars are nearby). This is to get a feel for how slick the roads are.
  
  
• Slow down. If the roads are even a bit slippery, SLOW DOWN! You're likely driving something over 4,000lbs and ice and snow have little respect for your brakes.
  
  
• Keep your distance. On that note, keep your distance from the car in front of you. Depending on my speed and the slickness of the roads, I like to keep about 100ft minimum between me and the next car. The faster the traffic the larger you'll want that gap to be. Just remember the faster you're going, the longer it will take to stop, even on dry pavement.
  
  
• Taking corners. When you've got a corner, a bend, a turn, or a traffic circle--slow it WAY down. Physics make going straight easy, but once you turn the wheel to leave that path of momentum, the ice and snow will make it hard to actually leave that straight path. Only going slow will enable you to do it safely.
  
  
• Get comfortable. After a fresh snow, try to find a large, flat, unplowed lot without any nearby obstacles. Drive very slowly--turn the wheel to the left, and then again to the right, and then slam the brakes while turning. Observe what you card does.  Does the front or back rotate? Which direction does it slide with each turn? The goal here is to get an idea for how your car handles in the snow in a safe, controlled environment so you're better prepared on the actual road.
  

Remember: One moment could change your and your family's life forever--so be smart, be safe, and stay warm.

Other recommendations:

• Snow tires. Buy a set of snow tires that are built for cold weather and have an aggressive tread pattern giving you great traction compared to all-season tires. We currently do not have snow tires, but it's a goal one of these upcoming Winters.

• AWD/4x4. Drive a car with AWD or 4-Wheel-Drive (4x4). If you don't have one, look into trading-in your car for one that does have it. AWD and 4x4 are not just helpful in the winter, but even in the summer rains.
  Not sure how to about finding a car, or just nervous? We've got you covered. Check out The Smart Car Buyer's Guide where we walk you through every step of the searching process including brainstorming to ensure this next car checks as many of your boxes as possible.

If you're traveling for the holidays, check out our other blog post Pre-Travel Road-trip Tips (especially with little kiddos). 

What are your winter car prep and driving tips? Comment below!