Winter Driving

(KINCARDINE, ON.) – Another Bruce County winter will be arriving shortly and the South Bruce OPP would like motorists to start thinking about winter driving safety.

When cold Arctic air sweeps across Lake Huron, localized snow squalls develop along the shoreline. Heavy snowfall and reduced visibility may only affect a small area while blue skies prevail a few kilometres away. If you are travelling under blue skies and encounter a road closed sign, trust us and avoid the road, we know what we are talking about. Travelling on a closed road not only compromises your safety, it’s against the law.

There are 3 key elements to safe winter driving: Stay alert, slow down and stay in control. An ordinary driver reacts to road situations while a good driver anticipates problems and avoids them, do yourself and other motorists a favour – be a good driver. The best advice for driving in bad winter conditions is don’t drive at all, if you don’t have to. Give the snowplows and sanders time to do their jobs, arriving late is better than not arriving at all.

Tires marked with a peaked mountain and snowflake meet specific snow traction performance requirements. The tires are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road. No matter how many safety features your vehicle has, it’s the tires that enable you to handle the snow and ice. Choosing 2 winter tires changes your vehicle’s handling, which could put you at greater risk on a slippery road, the best practice is to change all 4 tires. Remember, we can’t control the wind, but we can equip our vehicles with safer tires for the winter months.

If you happen to get stuck or stranded while driving this winter, don’t panic. Stay with your vehicle for safety, for warmth and wait for help to arrive. Dialling *OPP on your cell phone will connect you directly with the nearest OPP dispatch center. While you wait for help to arrive; turn on your vehicle’s flashing hazard lights, run your engine occasionally for heat, bundle up in a blanket, wear a hat and scarf to guard against heat loss.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety website offers a list of items to include in your winter driving survival kit. These include: bag of sand or salt, traction mats, snow shovel, snow brush, ice scraper, booster cables, flares or emergency lights, windshield washer fluid, flashlight, blanket, extra clothing items, non perishable food items, water, matches & candles, and a “Call Police” sign or brightly colored banner.

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