If you live, well anywhere, you have heard about the massive snow and ice that has befallen the Atlanta area. Even as I type this, I can hear a car attempting to crunch itself across the road to its icy destination.
Snowpocalypse 2011
I have also noticed that a few (ha, all) of you Georgians have some trouble driving in less-than-perfect conditions so I thought I would offer some tips (I did, after all, grow up in Illinois):
- Slow down! I don’t know why so many people feel like they are invincible to the slick ice, but you’re not! Just do yourself a favor and slow down. Even moving an inch a minute is better that getting stuck in a ditch because you slid across the road.
- Gently brake! If you feel yourself start to skid or slide, don’t slam the brakes! That will just make you slide more. Gently tap your brakes to help your car gain some traction and hopefully get back to moving forward under your control. Anti-lock brakes do this on their own to keep from locking up (imagine that), so if you have ABS, this will be a bit easier.
- Turn on your lights! It’s especially hard to see in wintery conditions – even if it’s not snowing since most people’s minds are concentrating so hard on the road itself and not the other cards around them. Make yourself easily visible by keeping your lights on at all times.
- If you get stuck, don’t spin your wheels! You will only get stuck even more. Start out by turning your wheels left and right a few times to get some of the snow out of your way. If you have kitty litter or sand, put that under your tires to give yourself some traction. Once you have done that, gently ease yourself out. Don’t gun it!
If you really must go out in this weather, please be careful and follow these simple tips. Trust me, I’ve been driving in snow for years (and hated every second of it) and I’ve never gotten stuck yet!
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