Winter driving mistakes Atlantic Canadians don't realize they make
While we’re enjoying the cool breeze and the occasional rays of sun peeking out from amber-coloured treetops during fall here in Atlantic Canada, there’s another season that’s looming not too far away — winter.
We spoke to a few Atlantic Canadian driving experts to find out what some of the most common winter driving mistakes motorists make on the East Coast are:
MISTAKE #1: ACTING LIKE IT’S NOT WINTER
“The biggest winter driving error that most drivers unintentionally do is that they don’t adjust their driving habits to winter conditions,” said Josh Vey, owner and chief instructor of A+ Drivers Ltd. in St. John’s, N.L.
“In the winter, you have poor visibility and poor traction due to inclement weather. You simply cannot operate your vehicle in a similar fashion to summertime or springtime driving where the weather obviously allows for good traction and good visibility."
MISTAKE #2: NOT EQUIPPING YOUR VEHICLE WITH WINTER TIRES
Skipping winter tire installation is more common than you think, added Vey.
All-season tires and winter tires have very specific purposes. The former is built for warmer weather and has a finer tread, which is not ideal for snow and slush, while the latter typically contains a blocky tread that grips snow and pushes away slush. It also stays soft in colder temperatures for better grip.
And for those who actually do make the tire change, waiting too long to do it could become another problem, said Noman Zafar, senior instructor at Halifax Driving School.
“Waiting to make the change in December could result in workshops being too busy and you not getting any appointment times. Schedule your bookings in November.”
MISTAKE #3: NOT PLANNING YOUR ROUTE
Going places in the winter requires special consideration.
“It’s very important for drivers that they put time and effort into planning their route, especially when they plan on going on a long trip of some kind," said Vey.
"Route planning is a defensive strategy that helps you stay engaged and it helps you identify obstacles such as weather hazards and other traction elements that you might encounter on your drive."
Zafar added it may not hurt to change your route if the one you were planning to take is particularly hilly. Consult Google Maps to find alternate routes, he suggested.
Paying attention to weather forecasts is also a good tip, said Vey. Also, using cruise control in winter conditions should be avoided.
MISTAKE #4: NOT GIVING YOURSELF TIME TO GET TO THERE
Thinking that you can get dressed in a hurry, slip out the door with minutes to spare, grab a coffee quickly and still make it to work on time during winter is another common mistake, Zafar said.
Give yourself at least an extra 30 minutes before you have to be at work, he said, which is crucial.
“You have to clean your car and warm up your car. Don’t be in a hurry. Practise slow driving but not too slow either.”
MISTAKE #5: NOT EQUIPPING YOUR VEHICLE
You can’t predict if you’ll find yourself in a sticky situation, so it’s best to be prepared.
“Being caught in the storm without a windshield scraper or being caught on a highway which is covered in salt and you get spray on your windshield but you don’t have enough windshield wash in your vehicle” are some situations to think about, according to Vey.
for Government of Canada tips, including what to pack for a winter car kit, visit: https://www.getprepared. gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/sfttps/tp201012-en. aspx.
MISTAKE #6: NOT DOING A PRE-TRIP INSPECTION
“Another big mistake that people make in the wintertime is actually not taking the time to check their vehicle – doing what we call a pre-trip inspection, where you remove all of the snow off of your vehicle,” said Vey.
“The most commonly overlooked snow removal place is the roof, the hood, and for pickup trucks, the pan.”
Removing anything that can detach from your vehicle is part of proper driving technique.
MISTAKE #7: NOT ALLOWING ENOUGH DISTANCE
“Defensive driving teaches you to follow the three-second rule. When you have a road user in front of you, you should have a minimum of three seconds between yourself and that other road user,” explained Vey.
“In the wintertime, it doesn’t hurt to add an additional second to the following distance that will allow you to account for a traction condition that you can’t anticipate with black ice, for example.”
Vey added, “We often teach our students that during the winter months, you need to apply pressure to the brake pedal twice as early and half as hard.”
MISTAKE #8: BEING OVER-CONFIDENT
The overestimation of handling ability when it comes to vehicles like all-wheel drive SUVs or four-wheel drives is another major concern, according to Vey.
“I just actually finished a driving course where I’ve spent quite a bit of time talking about this," he said.
"Don't be fooled or lulled into a false sense of security because your vehicle is equipped with all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. All-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are great for getting you started, but they have absolutely no value in helping your vehicle stop.”