Safe driving during the winter months
Posted by: Andy Gamm for Jennifer Barko
As my son turns 16 next month, I have spent the past year on many short and long driving lesson excursions. During these “lessons” I give a lot of driving tips to my son. Now that Winter has finally hit West Michigan – my son is experiencing the slips and slides of driving on snow and ice. My most common tip for him this winter has been to “slow down” (over and over).
Driving in the winter is a new experience for all of us until after the first few snowfalls – like riding a bike. Here are a few tips that serve me well as I go about life on the wintery roads of Michigan!
- Buckle Up! I like to think that everyone does this every time they get into a car – but all you have to do is read the paper and accident reports state otherwise.
- Keep both hands on the wheel! As I tell my son – this is a good driving habit (and why his car has a driving console).
- Check your windshield wipers and washer fluid! There is a reason that gas stations stock that stuff all over the place in the winter. Also, this a good job for a new driver (and something they can figure out how to do on their own when Mom doesn’t have a clue but pretends to).
- Scrape Ice and Snow from every window of the vehicle. I brought my son up to never call anyone stupid – it is just not a nice word. However, during the past year – I have used the word to describe some drivers we have seen on the road. After a good snowfall, there always seems to be a few people on the road that couldn’t find their scraper, a broom, or even an old fashioned hand to clear off their windows.
- Move a night trip to daylight hours. My parents live 2.5 hours North of my house. We try to drive up during the day to avoid deer, travel on better road conditions, and drive with more alertness. As I get older – I don’t have the stay awake brain I used to have for night driving. Thankfully, I always have XS Energy Gum with me – it has the same caffeine as a small cup of coffee and B vitamins to give me that extra kick when I need it! And, XS Energy Gum is convenient and easy to carry anywhere so I can get that quick boost I need for night driving or my niece’s dance recital.
Have a safe winter full of energy!
Jennifer is the proud mother of an active teenage boy and enjoys watching his sporting events, spending time with family and friends and doing anything outdoors. She is an Associate Brand Manager in Health Marketing and has been with Amway for 10 years.
