Driving Safety Tips For Winter Weather ~

Admittedly, I haven’t seen much snow this year here in North Carolina, though I did wake up to a little bit this morning. My husband is in the living room curled up on the couch next to the fireplace and my daughter is snuggled up in her bed {school is closed today due to weather conditions} and I am sitting here thinking about all of the snow we had when I lived in Virginia. My cousin, Angela, works her butt off in the cold {brrr…} clearing roads for VDOT for all of you Virginia drivers, and sometimes she sees the most spectacular snow scenes, which she has agreed to share with us today. She also sees her fair share of accidents, so we are providing you with some driving safety tips for winter weather travel.

Snow Scenes From Southwest Virginia

Though I miss the snow scenes in Southwest Virginia, I definitely DO NOT miss the icy roads {though the picture is absolutely gorgeous}. Angela and her mom live way out in the boonies, so they see this type of stuff all of the time, even when she is not at work scraping roads, cutting trees and whatever else VDOT workers due to make roads safe for travelers.

Sadly, downed trees are just an everyday part of life living in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, especially in winter. They can make driving even more treacherous than the winter conditions already do.  If you don’t have to go out, don’t. There is nothing out there worth risking your life over. But if you absolutely must travel out into inclement weather, do so with caution and be sure to take extra measures to keep yourself and those around you safe.

Winter Weather Driving Safety Tips

• Before winter arrives, make sure that your car is ready for winter travel.
• Be sure that you are aware of weather conditions before you leave the house. Watch the news, look up the weather on the internet or TV, call friends that are along your route that you will be traveling and ask about conditions, and do whatever else you need to do to inform yourself before you leave the house.
• Be sure to clear ALL of the snow and debris from your car. This includes the roof and headlights {even when it is not dark outside}. The snow from the roof can slide down and impede your vision. Snow on the headlights can stop other drivers from being able to see you.
• Leave early and be sure to drive at a safe speed for the weather conditions. Slow down and don’t worry about people who drive past you or aggressive drivers. Not every driver is a safe one, so don’t judge how you should drive based on others.
• Be sure that you and every passenger in your car is wearing their seatbelt.
• In slick conditions, stay at least 5 seconds from the car in front of you – even more if possible. You want plenty of time to attempt to stop if you need to.
• Stay at least 100+ feet away from VDOT trucks that are pushing snow. The materials that they spread can shatter your windshield. Do not pass one unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Be sure to take your cell phone, wear your coat and plenty of layers, and take supplies like a flashlight, water and maybe some extra food to have in your car. If you get stranded and the conditions are bad, it may be a while before someone can get to you. You want to be as safe as possible so preparing a winter weather safety kit is important.
• Be sure to report downed trees to your local Department of Transportation. Do not try to move them yourself.

These pictures are gorgeous, but they are not worth risking your life over. If you do not have to go out, stay home. If you must go out, please follow these tips outlined above.

Do You Have Any Winter Weather Driving Safety Tips To Share?