Wichita, Kansas | February 2010
Safe driving, Ice and Snow, Davis-Moore
Writtn by: Rick Schmeidler, Sales Manager, Davis-Moore Mazda

Kansas winter weather is known for extremes! One day could be 50 degrees and sunny and the next could bring snow and ice. Temperatures and weather conditions can change quickly, so it’s always a good idea to be prepared for wintery conditions. Here are a few tips to keep in mind, to keep you and your loved ones as safe as possible.

Always leave plenty of space between you and the car in front of you! A good general rule is a couple hundred feet or at least allowing yourself 10 second to stop. If you can’t stop your vehicle in that amount of time-you’re traveling too close! Even if you are confident in your own driving ability and the ability of your own car to stop on a dime-be prepared in case the drivers around you aren’t as well prepared.

Do you have Anti-lock brakes? If so, used correctly ABS can offer you a significant advantage on slippery roads-however many people still don’t operate their ABS correctly! To operate ABS, apply steady pressure to the pedal during THE ENTIRE stop-DON’T PUMP ANTI-LOCK BRAKES! Your ABS system will automatically pump the brakes for you to keep the wheels from locking. Never manually pump ABS brakes yourself.

If you don’t have an ABS system, you should gently apply pumping pressure to your brakes when on slippery roads. Don’t apply standing pressure to your brakes-it can cause them to lock and may result in your car spinning out of control!

Do you know how to handle a skid? This is possibly the biggest problem for drivers on slick roads-but it is possible to steer OUT of a skid! If you have FRONT WHEEL DRIVE, once you feel your car start to skid SLOWLY remove your foot from the accelerator (Don’t try to brake!) until you feel your wheels begin to regain traction. When you begin to feel your wheels grab the road again, turn the steering wheel in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If you have REAR WHEEL DRIVE, you should also remove your foot from the gas pedal and slowly steer in the direction you want the car to go. If you are still not in control of the vehicle, you can counter steer until you are pointing in the right direction. Again, never apply pressure to the brakes!

And…Don’t think that just because you drive an SUV or 4 wheel drive vehicle that you are safe! While these kinds of vehicles are great in snow, they provide no advantage when driving on ice, so make sure to take care and put safety first no matter what you’re driving!

No matter what precautions you take, remember that not everyone on the road may do the same-so always pay extra attention to the drivers around you as well. Buckle up and take your time! You can find more winter driving tips online at the Davis-Moore blog!