Colorado Winter Driving Tips | Summer Driving Tips

Colorado Winter Driving Tips Summer Driving Tips

Ideas for Your Safety

Prepare Your Car

During winter, keep the gas tank near full to help avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
Maintain your vehicle as often as the manufacturer recommends.
Carry good battery jumper cables.
Have your auto battery Load Tested. Many stores that sell auto batteries will do this quick test for free. This will provide an accurate test of the battery and if it should be replaced soon. It is cheaper to do this where you live than discover a problem on the road.
Check the engine antifreeze.

o Make sure the antifreeze will protect to 30 degrees below zero or colder.

o Keep the level within the suggested Max-Min levels to ensure the heater in the auto compartment can be as warm as possible when needed.

Keep the Windshield Washer Fluid reservoir full. When the temperatures fall below freezing, fill the reservoir with freeze-resistant washer fluid designed for winter months.
Replace worn windshield wiper blades to maintain a clear vision.
Make certain your tires are properly inflated and have good tread.
Never mix radial tires with other tire types (such as bias).
Be sure to inspect the engine belts and rubber hoses to make sure they are in good condition. Replace belts and hoses with cracks. It is a good idea to carry an extra engine belt for each type used.

Winter Survival Kit for Your Car

Blankets, extra coats, and possibly a sleeping bag.
Additional warm clothing. Should the ones you are wearing become wet, change into the dry clothes.
Good window ice scrapper with brush.
First Aid Kit. You can find them at outdoor stores, the Red Cross, and some grocery stores.
Waterproof matches (to melt snow for water)Carry a wire clothes hanger. If something, like your exhaust pipe, needs tying up, the wire hanger is a quick and easy temporary fix.
Small tool kit. If not for your use, for someone use to help you in emergencies.
Bag of kitty litter, sand, or something similar to put under tires for traction when stuck.
Shovel. Military surplus stores or outdoor recreational stores may carry a folding type that will take up very little room.

Road maps for the areas in which you are traveling.
Compass
Paper towels or rags
Tow rope
Tire chains
Container of water
High-calorie canned or dried foods and a can opener. (Peanut butter is good)
Flashlight and extra batteries
Canned compressed air with sealant (for emergency flat tire repair)
Brightly colored cloth to tie on radio antenna to signal you are in distress

General Driving Tips

Slow down. Relax and be Patient. Do not get in a hurry. Your life, as well as the safety of others, depends upon you remaining calm and cautious.
4-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles take just as long to stop on ice as 2-wheel drive vehicles.
The heavier the automobile, the better the traction.
If the air temperature is near or below freezing, watch for icy spots, especially under bridges (no direct sunshine to melt the ice), bridges, and road areas that get limited or no direct sunlight (near hillsides).
Remove all snow and ice from ALL windows. It is just as important to see what the people around you are doing as seeing where you are going.
Avoid driving while you are fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.
Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
It is a VIOLATION OF COLORADO LAW to warm up your vehicle unattended.
Check again to make certain your tires are properly inflated.
Keep your gas tank at least half-full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy, and snowy weather. The moisture may freeze the brake cable.
Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery road surface (wet, ice, sand, slush).
Always look and steer where you want to go.
Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.

Be Cautious About Travel

Listen to radio or television reports of travel advisories.
Do not travel in low visibility conditions.
Avoid traveling on ice-covered roads, overpasses, and bridges.
If you must travel when the roads are icy and snowy, use tire chains and take a cell phone with you.
If you must travel, let someone know your destination and when you expect to arrive. Ask them to notify authorities if you are late.
Check and restock the winter emergency supplies in your car before you leave.
Never pour water on your windshield to remove ice or snow; shattering may occur.
Don’t rely on a car to provide sufficient heat; the car may break down.
Always carry additional warm clothing appropriate for the winter conditions.

Long-Distance Trips

Watch weather reports prior to a long-distance drive or before driving in isolated areas. Delay trips when bad weather is predicted or immediately after bad weather. Allow the roads and delays to clear up before you hit the road.
If you must travel during adverse weather, let others know your route, destination, and estimated time of arrival.
Always make sure your vehicle is in peak operating condition by having it inspected by an auto repair facility.
Be sure to inspect the engine belts and rubber hoses to make sure they are in good condition. Replace belts and hoses with cracks.
It is a good idea to carry an extra engine belt for each type used.
Carry a wire clothes hanger. If something, like your exhaust pipe, needs tying up, the wire hanger is a quick and easy temporary fix.
Carry a small tool kit. If not for your use, for someone use to help you in emergencies.
Keep at least half a tank of gasoline in your vehicle at all times during cold months.
Carry a cellular telephone and be sure the battery remains fully charged.
Carry blankets, extra coats, gloves, hats, food (energy bars and easy-open canned food), water, any needed medication, and matches or butane lighter in your vehicle.
If you become snow-bound, stay with your vehicle. It provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Hypothermia Kills. Do not try to walk in a severe storm. It is easy to become lost. It is also an easy way to die due to weather conditions.
Do not over exert yourself if you try to push or dig your vehicle out of the snow.
· Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna or place a cloth at the top of a rolled up window to signal distress.
Make sure the exhaust pipe is not clogged with snow, ice, or mud. A blocked exhaust could cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the vehicle while the engine is running.
Use whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could include floor mats, newspapers, or paper maps.
If possible, run the engine and heater just long enough to remove the chill and to conserve gasoline.

Tips For Driving In The Snow

Slow Down. Avoiding traffic accidents keeps your insurance payments lower.
4-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles take just as long to stop on slick roadways as 2-wheel drive vehicles.
Stay Home. If you really do not have to go out, don't. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Do not tempt fate. If your trip is not a major priority, your life and safety should be. Watch the snow from the safety of indoors.
Relax and be Patient. Do not get in a hurry. Your life, as well as the safety of others, depends upon you remaining calm and cautious.
Double your Alertness. Play close attention to those around you, ahead of you, behind you, and the conditions. Are you prepared for a deer or elk to be in the middle of the road?
Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Do not try to get moving in a hurry by aggressively spinning your tires.
Plan ahead. Take time to slow down for a stoplight. It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning -- nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
It is a VIOLATION OF COLORADO LAW to follow too close. The normal DRY Pavement Following Distance of 1 vehicle length for every 10 m.p.h. should be doubled during any wet road conditions and any time moisture is falling or hitting the windshield. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed should you need to slow down or stop.
Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply slow, firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
Do not stop if you can avoid it. There is a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still slightly rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep slowly, and cautiously rolling until a traffic light changes, do so.
Do not power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top.
As you reach the crest of a hill, reduce your speed and proceed down hill as slowly as possible. Put your transmission in a lower gear to use the engine to maintain a slow, safe speed. This is especially good if you have rear-wheel drive.
Do not stop going up a hill. There is nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road.

What to Do if You Get Stranded

Staying in your vehicle when stranded is often the safest choice.
Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna as a signal to rescuers and raise the hood of the car (if it is not snowing).
Move anything you need from the trunk into the passenger area.
Wrap your entire body, including your head, hands, and feet in extra clothing, blankets, or newspapers.
Stay awake. You will be less vulnerable to cold-related health problems.
Run the motor (and heater) for about 10 minutes per hour, opening one window slightly to let in air. Make sure that snow is not blocking the exhaust pipe. This will reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
As you sit, keep moving your arms and legs to improve your circulation and stay warmer.
Do not eat un-melted snow because it will lower your body temperature.
Huddle with other people for warmth.