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12 Tips for Driving in Snow
1. Observe all local speed limits, no matter what the conditions are. Always keep control of your speed.
2. Take care when braking. Front and rear wheels lock easily, especially when you apply too much pressure.
3. When driving, use very gradual acceleration to keep from spinning out of control.
4. When visibility is bad (and as a general rule in these conditions) drive with your low beams on.
5. Use your vehicle’s heater and fan in conjunction with the AC to keep your windshields clear.
6. Avoid braking when going around a corner. Brake before entering the turn and gently accelerate out of it.
7. Don’t change gears unless you have to. Start off in first or second gear (this includes automatics) before ascending or descending.
8. When visibility is very bad (especially if you can’t see any road markers) pull off to the side. Leave your motor running and turn on your hazard lights. It can be very difficult to judge distances in a snow-blanketed landscape at night, so stay off the roads after sunset if you can.
9. Don’t drive off with the snow heaped on your roof: you’ll become a road hazard for those around you.
10. Stay twice as far back from other vehicles as you normally would to give yourself room to slow down safely. A good rule to follow is to stay four car lengths behind for every 15kph you’re travelling.
11. Stay well back from ploughing machines; the fountain of snow that comes out of them often spews ice shards and rocks, and they aren’t able to get out of the way quickly.
12. You need all your concentration for driving in snow, so avoid fatigue and allow ample travel time.
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