Winter Driving Tips
It’s that time of year.
Snow. Ice. Cold. Sub-zero temperatures. The time of year you walk outside and your nose hairs freeze. It’s a good time of year to take simple precautions to keep your travels around Vermont safe and smooth.
Keep your gas tank full. It’s a simple precaution, but a good one especially if you are traveling any kind of significant distance or with small kids. Keeping the gas tank or charge on your EV up can help to keep you safe if your vehicle becomes stuck.
Check those tires. Even if you just got your snow tires on - and snow tires are always recommended for snowy travel in the northeast - make sure to check the tire pressure regularly if your sensors don’t automatically show you the reading on your dashboard. Keeping your tires at the recommended air pressure makes navigating in the snow easier and safer.
Drive for the conditions. Pay attention to the conditions and adjust your speed accordingly. As the saying goes, “Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.”
“Mind the Gap!” Watch the space between you and the vehicle in front of you. Allow extra distance and safe speeds for braking in slick conditions. Snow plows and other maintenance vehicles may need extra leeway and, if you can safely do so, always move over to accommodate vehicles with flashing lights in travel lanes or on the shoulder.
Know before you go. You can always check the 511 site to check your route of travel for incidents, closures, or other traffic impacts before you venture out. https://newengland511.org/region/Vermont
Taking a few extra minutes to assess your route, vehicle, and the weather could be crucial at this time of year to keeping you and others on the road safe.
Drive mindfully, Vermont, and we’ll see you in the Spring.