Inclement Weather Tips

Staying Alert

Accident/Incident Reports

Vehicle Inspection

DRIVER TRAINING SEMINAR

Care for the Car

•Make certain your tires are properly inflated and that the tread depth is not worn down

•Consider keeping a shovel in your car for emergency snow situations

•Check that your windshield wiper fluid reservoir is full

•Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.

Inclement weather:

◦ DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER AND LOW VISIBILITY

Bright light reflections on a dirty window decrease visibility. Clear ice, frost, or dew from all windows before you drive.

◦ RAIN

At the first sign of rain, drizzle, or snow on the road, roads are usually most slippery because the moisture mixes with oil and dust. Slow down!

◦ REDUCED TRACTION

If your vehicle is hydroplaning, take your foot off the accelerator and let the vehicle slow down. Do not try to brake until your tires are gripping the road again. Speed control can reduce the chances of hydroplaning.

◦ WIND

Wind generally reduces your steering control. Crosswinds may cause the car to swerve, especially SUVs and vans. Be prepared to make adjustments in speed and steering to compensate for wind conditions.

Care for ourselves

Watch weather reports prior to your shift

Make sure the exhaust pipe of your vehicle isn't clogged with snow, ice or mud.

Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first.

Accelerate and decelerate slowly to avoid skids.

The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds.

Don't stop if you can avoid it. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.

Don't power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads will potentially cause your wheels to spin. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill. When you reach the top of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed down as slowly as possible.

Winter Driving tips

If your rear wheels skid...

Take your foot off the accelerator.

Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. Example: If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left.

If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.

If you have standard brakes, pump them gently. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady

pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

If your front wheels skid...

Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.

As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

If you get stuck...

Do NOT spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.

Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.

Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.

Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.

Pour gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.

Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.

 Use your sense of smell. 

Peppermint (a study showed that smelling peppermint can lower fatigue by 15%, increase alertness by 30% and decrease frustration by 25%.)

Coffee (a study has shown that simply smelling coffee can awaken a person)

Keep yourself uncomfortable. Stay cold. If it's a little cold, take off your sweater or jacket so you stay on the chilly side. 

Open a window or put on a small fan, pointed at your face.

Sitting:  Make sure the back is upright, forcing you to sit up very straight. Don't allow your head to rest on anything like your hands.

Avoid a full stomach.  Small doses. Rather than eating one big meal, have many smaller meals throughout 

the day. The same goes for caffeine.     Consumptions should be broken down into  small doses

                         

!!! Staying Alert!!!

Sound your horn and flash your lights to warn other drivers.

Downshift to low gear.

Pump the brake pedal fast and hard to build up brake fluid pressure. Do not pump antilock brakes. In case of ABS, the driver has to press down hard on the brake pedal and

hold it. In an emergency situation, ABS pumps the brakes for the driver and pumps the brakes at a much faster rate than the driver ever could.

Apply the parking brake, but be ready to release it if the car begins to skid.

You will still be able to steer and swerve. Find an escape route. If you must, steer into bushes or something soft.

Brake Failure

Do not slam on the brakes.

Take your foot off the accelerator and gently apply the brakes.

Steer straight ahead to a stop.

When you are able to do so safely, pull the vehicle off the road.

Tire Blowout

First, try your dimmer switch. Often that will turn them back on again!

Try the headlight switch a few times. If that does not work, use your parking lights, hazard lights, or turn signals.

Pull off the road as soon as you can and leave your hazard lights on so that other cars can see you.

Headlight Failure

If you are driving and the hood of your car flies open, do the following:

◦ Slow down!!!

◦ Try to look underneath the hood at the road ahead.

◦ If that’s not possible, put your head out the window and look around the hood.

◦ Use the painted center line or lane markings as a guide.

◦ As soon as possible, pull off the road and put your hazard lights on.

Hood Latch Failure

If your accelerator gets stuck down, do the following:

◦ Shift to neutral.

◦ Apply the brakes.

◦ Keep your eyes on the road and look for a way out.

◦ Warn other drivers by blinking and flashing your hazard lights.

◦ Try to drive the car safely off the road.

◦ Turn off the ignition when you no longer need to change direction.

Stuck Accelerator

4 WAY STOP◦ At a four-way stop, if two vehicles reach the intersection at the same time, the vehicle

on the left must yield to the vehicle on the right.

PEDESTRIANS

◦ Always stop for any pedestrian crossing. Do not pass a car from behind that has stopped at a crosswalk because you may not be able to see a pedestrian crossing in front of the car.

COMMON COURTESY

◦ Remember that emergency vehicles (e.g., ambulances, fire trucks, police vehicles, and paramedic vans) always have the right-of-way. Move to the far right side of the road to let them pass.

◦ At an intersection without STOP or YIELD signs, yield to vehicles already in the intersection or entering it in front of you. Always yield to the car that arrived first. If you and another driver reach the intersection at the same time, yield if the car is on your right.

Laws