It's no secret that there's a lot of people who still don't know who to drive in the snow in Colorado. With the recent storm and the chance of us getting 1-4 more inches of the stuff this week, I decided to offer some simple times for folks who still might need a little practice when the weather isn't so great.
1. The pedals can be your friend, or your enemy
Slamming on the brakes or hitting the gas is the first step to an accident in any conditions, but it's magnified 100x on a slick road. If you need to slow, lift your foot off the gas and let the car slow down on it's own.
2. DON'T F****** SPEED!
Sure, you beefed up your engine, gave the car more torque and horsepower for racing, but I-25 in a storm ain't no racetrack. More speed and momentum makes it harder for your car to stop, especially if it's bigger.
3. We all need space from time to time.
Add distance when it’s snowy and wet. AAA recommends putting 8 to 10 seconds between cars. (On top of the 3 and 1/2 seconds you are practicing from your Drivers Ed course, right? RIGHT?!)
4. Skidding is not the time to panic
Loosely hold the wheel, take the foot off the gas (like from Step 1) and look where you want to go, not at the car you were probably following to closely too. If you relax and remember you control the situation, you can minimize impacts and damage.
5. Trust yourself.
Did I mention don't panic? If you relax, and get to a point where you feel comfortable, you can usually pull off a subtle evasive maneuver like pulling into a shoulder or different lane during a potential accident.
Did I mention don't panic? Tensing up will cause you to overreact and make things worse, but if you trust yourself you can usually take some evasive manuevers
6. Eyes up here
Remember to pay attention to the road. The text you need to send your crush can wait, you can still give someone your opinion they didn't ask for on twitter when you get home, and the radio doesn't need skipped every time a commercial comes on. Also, maybe put down the burrito, or makeup brush in the car.
7. Check your tires
Good tread and the right air pressure are crucial in the winter. If the tire is bald, you have ice skates.