Winter driving can be challenging because of wet, icy road surfaces or poor visibility due to snow, rain, and fog. Here are several tips to help you drive safely this winter both on the job and in your personal vehicle:
n Keep your vehicle in good working order. Ensure there is good tread on tires, the engine is tuned-up for winter, and all lights are functioning properly. Add anti-freeze and windshield wiper fluid, if necessary.
n Allow enough time to get to your destination. Rushing can lead to an accident. Leave earlier so you have enough time to drive and arrive safely. Wear your seat belt.
n Good visibility is essential to safe driving. Clear ice or snow from windows, headlights, the hood, and the roof of your car before starting out.
n Stay alert and calm. Maintain a safe speed and drive defensively. Don’t use alcohol or drugs while driving.
n Drive appropriately for road conditions. The posted speed limits are for dry conditions. Driving on a wet road can cause hydroplaning — a thin barrier of water builds up between your tires and the road surface, which causes your vehicle to slip. If you lose control of your steering, take your foot off the gas. Watch out for black ice.
n Keep a safe distance between you and other vehicles. The "two second” rule works well on dry roads and in ideal conditions, but in winter you should extend it to four seconds. When the vehicle directly ahead of you passes a stationary object, start counting — “one thousand and one” — “one thousand and two” — and so on. Your vehicle should not pass the same object until you say the word “four.” Look farther ahead in traffic than you normally do, so that you have time to react safely to traffic patterns.
n Brake early, brake correctly. In slippery conditions, never jam on your brakes in a panicked stop. You might skid and lose control of the vehicle. Instead, press firmly on anti-lock brakes and pump on regular brakes.
n Don’t use cruise control. Touching your brakes to deactivate the cruise control feature can cause you to lose control in slippery conditions.
n Avoid making abrupt lane changes. The passing lane may be in worse shape than the driving lane. There may also be a snow ridge between the two lanes.
n Watch for slippery overpasses and bridges. They freeze faster than pavement and can cause icy driving conditions.
n Leave room for maintenance vehicles and plows. The law requires you to slow down and stay back at least 200 feet when approaching emergency or maintenance vehicles and snowplows. If a snowplow is parked on the side of the road with emergency flashers turned on, move over.
Remember: Your four-wheel drive vehicle may help you get moving faster than other vehicles, but it won‘t help you stop faster if you need to do so.
Winter driving can be challenging, but sensible driving habits can help keep you safe. For more winter driving tips, see the following resources:
n Safety talk module in the Safety Toolkit: safetytoolkit.usps.gov/Home/Home.aspx.
n Safety Depends on Me videos: blue.usps.gov/corpcomm/uspstv/safety-and-health.
n Safety resources in the Safety Toolkit: safetytoolkit.usps.gov:12.
n Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website: osha.gov/dts/weather/winter_weather/index.html.
n National Safety Council website: nsc.org/home-safety/tools-resources/seasonal-safety/winter.
n National Weather Service website: weather.gov/safety/winter.
— Safety and OSHA Compliance Programs,
Employee Resource Management, 2-13-20
