Winter Driving Tips

I know a lot of our international students from India locally are driving in the winter for the first time so I thought I would share some winter driving advice.

My first and most important advice would be winter tires. Not only is it mandatory to have winter tires, but also safety-wise is necessary for places like Prince George where we get so much snow. If you are still selecting a vehicle or have a choice, do not choose a small vehicle as they are less safe in conditions like the ones we have here. When in an accident, it'll just get crushed. I’m so happy that I got an SUV with four-wheel drive because it makes it a lot easier to get around. Many people also don't realize that trucks need to be weighted properly otherwise they just slide around too because the back is too light. 

I got an ugly surprise when I went out to my car today after work and it was covered in a foot of snow. Always be prepared to spend time cleaning off your car properly in the mornings and don’t rush it. It takes time for the ice to be scraped off properly enough to see through the wipers, and its unsafe to drive without clearing off the windows (front, back and sides). Keep a scraper/brush and shovel inside your car. Also clean off the top of your car! I had some friends who were driving in the winter for the first time and didn’t realize you had to clean off the top. When they stopped at the red light at the intersection, the entire pile of snow blocked their windshield. Classic mistake! When parking, put your wipers up in the air so they don’t freeze to the windshield. 

Lights: Keep your lights on. I have a white vehicle which can be difficult to see in white-out conditions in the snow. The automatic lights sometimes don’t go on because it thinks its light out. So turn on your lights (but don’t leave them on when you turn off the car because that drains the battery. In my case I accidentally did that once and I couldn’t get into my car because it starts by a button and not a physical key.) While its important to have lights on, don’t put the high beams on because they flash in people’s eyes who are driving at you and they can’t see. When pre-heating your car it is dangerous to do inside the garage, even with the garage door open, make sure the car is in a well ventilated area. 

Important things when driving are to keep your distance in the winter, allow a lot more distance when stopping and in the car in front of you. I had three pedestrians run across the street today, make sure to drive slow and be prepared. I cannot emphasize enough how many accidents happen from distracted driving (texting, calling, etc.). Its dangerous and not worth your life, or someone else’s. imagine how terrible it would be to kill someone because you were texting and not looking at where you are going. It can wait. When turning, slow the vehicle and then turn. Don’t have your foot on the brakes as its turning. My dad taught me that when I was learning to drive. The car tends to go in a straight line if you skid, per the laws of physics. 

Snowtrucks usually clear off the snow at night. Keep a safe distance away as they might not see you. Recently we had this problem at the Gurdwara Sahib and the committee wanted everyone to know it is dangerous to walk or drive close to the big trucks because they cannot see you! If you park at the side of the road you will get snowed in and it takes forever for you to dig your way out. 

If your tires are spinning and you are stuck, drive slowly. Don't press hard on the gas or you will just get into a bigger mess. Keep a blanket and emergency supplies in your car in case you get stranded, especially if driving in the middle of nowhere like we do in some places without cell service up North.

In the cold: Lift off windshield wipers before you leave your car parked so they dont get stuck to the windshield. They can break off if the car keep trying to use them and they are stuck. Plug your car in. 

The worst driving conditions I drove in was a time when I was driving back from Fraser Lake to Prince George and it was heavy snow + fog + I didn't know which was the road was going. Everything was completely white and I couldn't see the cars in front of me. I was terrified and lucky I made it home safe. I could see on the map I was coming up to a bridge because there was water but I was so scared I was going to drive off the road as I didnt know which direction to go. So that brings me to my final point: avoid driving entirely if the conditions are ugly and dangerous, its not worth it.