Winter driving is a bitter reality for Canadian drivers. Winter driving demands to stay alert, slow down and stay in control. At Young Star Driving School we educate and train our students to drive according to road and weather conditions. We train them to keep a safe distance between them and the vehicle in front. They are given tips on how to brake properly, and how to avoid situations where they might have to brake suddenly on a slippery surface.
There is an abundance of resources developed and maintained by public and private organizations to help drivers safely negotiate challenges of winter driving. In this article, we list the tips and recommendations given by MTO, CAA and CBC.
MTO
Ministry of Transportation lists the following ten useful tips for winter driving.
- Get your vehicle ready for winter in the fall.
- Install four matching winter tires.
- Pack an emergency kit.
- Learn and practice winter driving techniques before you need them.
- Plan your trip, check road and weather conditions.
- Remove all snow from your vehicle before each trip.
- Give yourself extra travel time in bad weather.
- Avoid using cruise control on slippery roads.
- Travel with a fully charged cell phone.
- Slow down and wear your seatbelt.
CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) gives the following 11 tips on its website to keep Canadians safe on roads during harsh winters.
- Create a survival kit
- Check weather and road conditions often
- Keep a safe distance behind snow plows
- If you don’t already have them, get winter tires
- Slow down and give yourself extra travel time
- Clear snow and ice from your vehicle
- Wear comfortable clothes
- Keep a full gas tank
- Keep OPP numbers handy and travel with a fully-charged cellphone
- Avoid using cruise control on slippery roads
- Figure out the best way to recover from a skid for your vehicle
CAA
- Leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle ahead
- Stay on main roads
- Keep a phone charger in your car
- Avoid using overdrive or cruise control
- Slow down and move over for emergency vehicles
- Never pass a snow plow on the right-hand side
- Practice emergency braking to understand how your vehicle will react
Young Star recommended winter survival kit
Almost every set of winter driving tips includes creating a ‘survival kit’. At Young Star Driving School, we recommended to every new driver that they should put in the trunk of their cars a winter survival kit. Such a survival kit should include, but not limited to items such as:
- Winter jackets, blanket, thermal socks and insulated gloves
- Battery booster cables and mini charging stations
- Small shovel, ice scraper, snow brush and windshield fluid
- First aid kit, bandages and prescription drugs
- Torch and a portable charger for electronic devices
- Safety vest with high visibility reflective strips
- Water bottles and non-perishable foods
- At least 5 liters of gas in a tank.
The non-emergency number for the OPP is 1-888-310-1122. For provincial highway conditions, go to www.ontario.ca/511 or call 511. YSDS offers especially designed accident prevention and defensive driving training courses. If you have any questions regarding the services offered by our driving school, please feel free to call us or email us.