The first major snowfall of the fall season always means trouble on Sudbury and area highways and roads and Greater Sudbury Police are urging all drivers to use extra precaution following Tuesday morningÂ?s early morning storm.
Even with good coolant, snow tires, traction control, and all-wheel drive, police remind all drivers that driving in snow, sleet and ice is always treacherous.
Even if you maintain control of your vehicle, not everyone else will, so driver should never be lulled into a false sense of security.
The biggest key to safe winter driving is to do everything slowly and gently. Remember that when driving in the snow, the tires are always just barely grabbing the road.
Accelerate slowly and gently, turn slowly and gently and brake slowly and gently.
To do this, drivers have to anticipate turns and stops and that again means driving slowly and leaving plenty of distance between yourself and other vehicles.
Rapid movements and driving at excess speeds for the road conditions leads to skidding and loss of control.
Whenever it snows or there is ice, drivers must always take extra time to make sure your car is clean and visibility is good.
Clear off the entire car and not just a little peephole in the windshield.
First of all, drivers need just as much, if not more visibility in poor driving conditions, because you have to keep your eye peeled for every other person on the road.
Make sure every glass surface is clear and transparent by using a snow brush and/or ice scraper. Your side view mirrors and all lights should also be brushed and cleared as well.
Cleaning all the snow off your car is essential because the rest of the snow will either slide off the roof and cover your windshield as your are slowing down or will fly off onto someone elseÂ?s windshield and could easily cause a crash.
Every car has different handling characteristics and itÂ?s up to each driver to know what your car and canÂ?t do in the snow. Drivers should know if the vehicle has antilock brakes and traction control, how they work and how they help.
Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area such as a garage as carbon monoxide quickly builds up in enclosed areas and your nose canÂ?t sense it.
Drivers, and everyone else in a vehicle, must always also wear their seatbelts or restraints.
When road conditions are bad, take extra care when driving on icy roads and watch for hard-to-see patches of ice, especially black ice, which normally build up in shady spots and around bridges.
Always keep a safe distance of at least five seconds behind other vehicles and trucks that are plowing the road.
When there is snow on the ground and the sun is very bright, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and prevent excessive eye fatigue.
Always avoid driving when you are tired.
DonÂ?t pass snowplows or spreaders unless absolutely necessary and treat these vehicles as you would emergency response vehicles.
DonÂ?t park along the street as snowplow drivers canÂ?t fully clear a road if vehicles are in their way.
And, it canÂ?t be repeated enough, drive slower and more cautiously when the road conditions are not ideal.