On the Road in a Blizzard: Tips for Driving Safely in the Snow
If you have to head out in the snow and ice, make sure you're prepared for rough driving
By Noreen O'Donnell ••
With a snowstorm bringing more than a foot of snow to parts of the East Coast Thursday, here's a reminder that the best thing to do is stay home. Winter storms contribute to more than 2,000 road deaths every winter and nearly a half-million crashes, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
But if you do have to drive in possibly treacherous conditions, here are some tips for remaining safe on the road from the AAA and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
BEFORE THE SNOW
Be prepared: Have an emergency kit in your car that includes a bag of cat litter, sand or other abrasive materials to get traction on ice, a shovel, flashlight and extra batteries, gloves or mittens, boots, ice scraper and snow brush, jumper cables, blanket, warning flares or triangles, food and water, first-aid items, extra windshield-washer fluid and antifreeze and a piece of bright cloth.
Make sure windshield wipers are in good working condition.
Take your cell: Charge your mobile phone and bring a charger with you. If you do charge your phone in the car, make sure your tailpipe is clear to avoid the danger from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Fill it up: Fill your gas tank and check wiper blades, windshield-washer fluid, oil and antifreeze.
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DURING THE SNOW
Drive slowly: Accelerate and stop slowly to avoid skids.
Hang back: Increase the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. The extra space will provide the longer distance you will need if you have to stop.
Easy on the brake: Brake early by applying firm, steady pressure on the pedal. Don’t stop if you can avoid it. If you can roll slowly until a traffic light changes, do it. It is much easier to get moving while rolling than from a full stop.
Taking hills: Don’t power up hills — your wheels may just begin to spin. Instead get momentum before you reach the hill, and slow down when you reach the top.
Careful on the bridge: Be especially cautious on bridges, which freeze first, and on highway exit ramps, which might have gotten less anti-icing material.
Avoid cruise control: Don’t use cruise control in wintry conditions because even roads that appear clear can have slippery spots. The slightest tap on your brakes to deactivate the cruise control could cause you to lose control.
Keep headlights clear and lights on at all times.
If you get stranded: Pull as far off the road as possible. Stay in your vehicle, avoid over-exertion, let fresh air in, run the engine every 10 minutes, but make sure your exhaust pipe is free of snow. Turn on the dome light at night when the engine is running. Change your position often, move your hands and legs, rub your hands together or put them under your armpits or between your legs and remove your shoes occasionally and rub your feet.
AFTER THE SNOW
Keith Bedford/Boston Globe via Getty Images
A mail carrier walks through the snow on Newbury Street in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston on Feb. 9, 2017. A winter storm is expected to drop between 12 to 18 inches of snow in the region, with less falling towards the Cape and Islands, according to National Weather Service.
Matt Rourke/AP
People walk bundled up against the cold and snow during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017. A powerful, fast-moving storm swept through the northeastern U.S. Thursday, making for a slippery morning commute and leaving some residents bracing for blizzard conditions.
Keith Bedford/Boston Globe via Getty Images
Josh Erskine throws a snowball during a snowball fight in the Boston Common in Boston on Feb. 9, 2017. A winter storm is expected to drop between 12 to 18 inches of snow in the region, with less falling towards the Cape and Islands, according to National Weather Service.
Scott Eisen/Getty Images
A group has a snowball fight on the Boston Common as a winter storm strengthens on Feb. 9, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. A snowstorm has been forecast with up to a foot of snow in a large swath of the Northeast today.
Mark Lennihan/AP
A man makes his way through wind and snow past the Oculus of the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, in New York. A powerful, fast-moving storm swept through the northeastern U.S. Thursday, making for a slippery morning commute and leaving some residents bracing for blizzard conditions.
Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images
A man walks his dog in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Feb. 9, 2017. A snowstorm is expected to deposit a foot of snow across a large swath of the Northeast today.
Andrew Theodorakis/Getty Images
Commuters head to work in the snow at the Huntington train station as a blizzard hits the New York Area on Feb. 9, 2017 in Huntington, New York. Following a day of 60 degree temperatures, the Northeast is expected to receive a significant snowfall throughout the day.
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A pedestrian crosses South Broad Street during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Feb. 9, 2017.
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Zach MacGregor, of Framingham, Mass., clears snow from a sidewalk as a snowstorm begins, Feb. 9, 2017, in downtown Wellesley, Massachusetts.
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A man makes his way through wind and snow past the Oculus of the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, Feb. 9, 2017, in New York.
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A woman uses an umbrella to shield herself from falling snow while approaching the Hoboken PATH train terminal, Feb. 9, 2017, in Hoboken, N.J.
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A woman shields her face during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Feb. 9, 2017.
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Men wait for breakfast at a food cart during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Feb. 9, 2017.
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A man pushes his bicycle past firefighters at as a snowstorm begins, Feb. 9, 2017, in downtown Wellesley, Massachusetts.
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A person shields itself from falling snow with an umbrella, Feb. 9, 2017, in Jersey City, N.J.
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A Port Authority of New York and New Jersey truck plows snow near the Holland Tunnel approach during a snowstorm, Feb. 9, 2017, in Jersey City, N.J.
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A man clears snow from Dilworth Park during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Feb. 9, 2017.
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A man covered in snow walks toward the PATH train station terminal, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, in Hoboken, N.J.
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United States flags are backdropped by people walking across a snow-covered intersection, Feb. 9, 2017, in Hoboken, N.J.
Clear your car: Do not try what this driver did — and if clearing the snow and ice is too difficult for you, ask for help.
Shovel with care: Here is some advice from the "Today" show on how to stay safe while shoveling.
