Winter Driving Tips

If you’ve lived in our area long, then you know that Maine and New Brunswick get plenty of snow over the course of the winter. And even when the roads are snow covered and slick, we still have to go to work.

Driving on snow and ice covered roads can be treacherous, but that doesn’t change the fact that you still have places to be. You need to get to work, school or even an appointment that you just can’t miss.

Here are some winter driving tips to help keep you safe on the roads, from weather.com.

• Slow down! Leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
• Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
• Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
• Keep your lights and windshield clean.
• Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
• Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
• Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
• Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

Hopefully you have found these winter driving tips helpful! Be safe out there on the roads this winter!