Between snow, sleet, and ice, Massachusetts is notorious for its treacherous winter weather. While snowmen and sledding can often take focus in the face of flurries, these storms also produce a prevalent threat to drivers. Twenty-four percent of annual car crashes occur on pavement coated in slush or ice, and snow induces a 24% increase in non-fatal injury collisions. Thus, many drivers are challenged to balance their safety and their normal routines.
As WA students are often confronted with difficult road conditions and unexpected weather, learning to navigate driving in the winter has become a New England necessity. Below are four tips to prepare yourself for the upcoming season, and to help you understand how vehicles can be affected in harsh weather.
1. Always Come Prepared
Fill your vehicle with plenty of supplies in case of an unexpected storm. Lacking these essentials in emergencies can lead to obstructed vision, dangerous driving, and discomfort.
One of the most commonly recommended tools is a duel-ended ice scraper and snow brush. These tools average $15 on Amazon and are necessary to clean car windows after a heavy snowfall. When faced with stubborn ice, it’s recommended to let your vehicle sit with the defroster on before driving, or to use a bag with warm water to melt light ice. However, never pour hot water directly onto the glass as it can cause cracks.
Other useful tools to have on hand include a flashlight, a first-aid kit, jumper cables, and blankets. Regardless of the possibility of a storm on the horizon, packing your vehicle with these items can help prepare for the unpredictability of New England weather.
“My car takes a minute to heat up, so I have to make sure I turn my car on prior to me entering the vehicle,” senior Lauren Malone said. “So I have to turn it on and then it’ll take a few minutes. Sometimes I have to scrape off the snow. So it kind of messes up my schedule.”
2. Drive Slowly
The most commonly attested tip for navigating icy roads is to drive more slowly. By reducing urgency and speed, cars are able to maintain more of their control.
Car tires rely on their grip, or traction, to stabilize and enable directional control. This traction is commonly created by installing flexible rubber compounds around the tire that allow it to cling to different surfaces. When roads are covered with snow or ice, the tires are no longer able to retain their traction on such slippery surfaces, limiting their control on the roads.
Due to the inevitable loss of control over one’s vehicle, it’s recommended not to exceed 45 mph while driving, even on highways. But on icy town roads such as Westford’s, it is best to reduce your speed to half of the posted speed limit. It’s also crucial to accelerate and break slowly, as acceleration and breaking can be the most vulnerable times for a vehicle without proper traction.
If you end up driving too fast for the road, it’s also easier for your car to start sliding. In this situation, the educational site Icyroadsaftey recommends that you reduce your speed while turning your wheel in the direction that the rear end of your car is sliding in order to correct the spin.
“My hack [when driving in the snow] is to slow down 10 miles per hour on turns, or else you might crash into a mailbox,” senior Lia DiNitto said.
Regardless of the destination, experts and WA faculty urge students to prioritize their safety when driving on ice and snow.
“If we take into consideration last week’s early dismissal, there’s a lot of energy. Kids love getting out of school early, especially when it’s a surprise. I think when [students] do leave, they just need to proceed with caution to the conditions that they’re entering,” Dean Bob Ware said.
3. Invest in Winter Accessories
While driving slower and preparing your car can definitely aid in safety, most cars are not specifically manufactured for these weather conditions. With this in mind, there are a variety of adjustments that can improve the ability of vehicles to navigate low-traction areas.
One of the most common solutions is buying winter tires. As opposed to typical tires, these additives are made out of a special rubber compound that manages to stay pliable in colder temperatures, increasing their traction. They also feature a unique tread pattern that digs deeper into its terrain, pushing the snow out. While these can often range at a higher price point, the investment offers an extra security for those who are less comfortable on the road.
Another suggested alternative is replacing your wiper fluid with winter-ready wiper fluid. This variation of the chemical is specifically designed with higher concentrations of antifreeze to lower the freezing point. This adjustment will then aid in clearing vehicle windows and enabling visibility.
4. Plan Ahead
As the forecast can change in a matter of minutes, it’s also important to constantly assess the risk of driving and plan to take on the roads only when it is safe to do so.
Foremost, check the predicted weather conditions and, when possible, avoid the roads at the height of a storm. In many smaller towns, “priority two” roads, or smaller side streets, are often plowed last, if at all. Keeping this in mind, plan your drive through main roads that will provide safer navigation, while also being mindful of highway exit ramps. Additionally, avoid driving during sunrise and sunset and always keep your headlights on to ensure the highest visibility.
Ultimately, many experts conclude that the risk of driving in icy conditions is rarely worth the reward of reaching the destination, and it is often safer to stay home. However, when left with no choice, these tips can ensure preparedness for the challenges of winter weather.
“[WA] had a couple accidents, even from students leaving the student parking lot, from spinning out. Roads are not plowed, roads are not treated. We had [students’] first time driving in the snow. It’s not easy and it’s really not safe. You have to drive with what the conditions allow [you do]. Drive slow. Don’t be in a rush. You’re better off waiting for roads to be plowed,” Ware said. “And just take it easy because you save your money to buy these cars […] and it just takes one incident where things are getting totaled and you’re back to the drawing board with no vehicle. And there’s nothing worse than not having a vehicle [during] your senior or junior year.”
