Copyright © 2012 American Safety Management Inc.

Winter Driving Safety

Winter driving is particularly hazardous

Why is this Important?

• Employees need to understand the specific hazards of snow and icy conditions on roads so they can adjust their driving accordingly

Why is this Important?

• By knowing the hazards—and the precautions to avoid them—we can avoid accidents and breakdowns and reach our destination safely despite the weather

Why is this Important?

• Prepare an emergency kit before you drive in wintery conditions

Be Prepared!

• Emergency flares or triangles• Flashlight• Tire jack and tools• Inflated spare tire• First-aid kit• Jumper cables• Spill proof container of sand, some cat litter, or a couple of old

roof shingles to provide needed traction is stuck in snow or ice• Ice scraper, snow brush, and small folding shovel• Blanket• Emergency food and water

Emergency Kits

• Keep your vehicle in good condition• Having a breakdown is bad enough when the

weather is good, but you don’t want to break down in the middle of a snowstorm

• Perform a safety check on your vehicle before you get behind the wheel

Vehicle Maintenance

• Test brakes

• Do this in a safe, clean area

Vehicle Maintenance

• Clear all exterior lights to improve visibility • Also check that all lights are working

Vehicle Maintenance

• Keep windshield wiper blades clean to prevent streaking

• Use a paper towel and wiper fluid or a small alcohol pad, such as in the first-aid kit

• Replace blades when worn

Vehicle Maintenance

• Make sure windshield washer reserve is full• Also check oil, coolant, brake fluid, and power

steering fluid tanks

Vehicle Maintenance

• Make sure you have plenty of gas

Vehicle Maintenance

• Check tire condition and inflation

• Worn tires can’t grip the road and may blow out—replace them

• Check tire before driving as pressure falls with temperature

Vehicle Maintenance

• Bald tires increase the risk of a crash especially in wet weather– Cannot grip road properly– Increase stopping distance– Contribute to skidding/loss of control

• Rubber Manufacturers Association survery—11% of vehicles have at least one bald tire

Worn Tires

• Insert Abe Lincoln’s head upside down into the tread

• If you can see all of his head, tire is 2/32” deep or less and should be replaced

Penny Test

• Many tires feature wear bars• Raised sections in the bottom of tread grooves• When they appear “even” with the outside of the

tread, it is time for tire replacement

Wear Bars

• Start out earlier and allow extra time when weather conditions are difficult

Safe Driving Rules

• Dress for the cold weather (coats, long pants, shoes, gloves, scarves and hats)

Safe Driving Rules

• Turn on vehicle lights so drivers can see better—and so that other drivers can see them better

Safe Driving Rules

• Slow down and match their speed to the weather conditions rather than the posted speed

Safe Driving Rules

• Do not use cruise control when wet, icy or snowy weather

Safe Driving Rules

• Stay alert and watch out for other drivers and dangerous road conditions

Safe Driving Rules

• Increase following distance from 2 seconds to at least 4 seconds

Safe Driving Rules

• Prepare for stops so you can bring your vehicle to a halt quickly but safely

Safe Driving Rules

• If you start to skid, don’t panic, steer in the direction of the skid (if your rear tires are skidding left gently steer to the left)

• Do not apply the brakes when skidding

Safe Driving Rules

• Get off the road to a place like a rest stop or turnout if weather conditions get so bad that it is unsafe to continue your journey

Safe Driving Rules

• If extreme weather, visibility often decreases

Why it Matters

• Braking distance increases on wet slippery roads—and moisture on the brake pads can create an additional hazard

Why it Matters

• Control of the vehicle also becomes a problem on wet or slippery roads, increasing the risk of skidding

Why it Matters

• The risk of accidents, injuries, and damage to your vehicle increases

Why it Matters

• The risk of breakdown may also increase under challenging conditions like extreme cold

Why it Matters