Guide to Winter Driving

We saw some snow yesterday, so it's time to discuss winter driving.  Sure, most of us have driven in Buffalo winters for years.  However, it's never a bad idea to read a few handy reminders so you can have safe travels this season.  

With some help from our friends at AAA, here are some handy tips for winter driving:

-In the snow, accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don't try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.

-The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.

-Keep at least half a tank of gasoline in your vehicle at all times. That's a big one, especially considering how we've seen people get stuck on the road in recent years.  

-Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).

-Don't stop if you can avoid it. There's a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.

-Don't stop going up a hill. There's nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.