Winter driving: are you prepared?

Please excuse me for the delay in Friday’s blogs. The snow streets were to blame. Europe is currently having a real cold, snowy spell.

In such weather conditions, a 10-minute drive can become an ordeal of hours getting stuck in a traffic jam. If you are lucky, the queue might be moving a few cm a minute. If you are not, you’d be standing still. If you are really unlucky, you’d be in that ambulance.

Upon coming home from an extremely stressy drive, but still very thankful that I got home safely, I immediately checked out resources for safe winter driving.

Preparing for winter driving is basically preparing the vehicle and the driver.

The car

Is your car winter-ready? Our local garage always offers us a winter check-up package that includes checking:

• Lights
• Brakes
• Defroster
• Wipers, including anti-freeze windshield washer fluid
• Tires. Take note that in many countries, winter tires are compulsory. In some mountain areas in Switzerland, snow chains may be required depending on the weather conditions.

The driver

• Ask yourself: do you really have the drive? Can the trip wait till weather conditions improve? Is there an alternative way of getting there?
• Be alert. Winter driving requires a lot of concentration. If you are very tired or slightly tipsy or extreme nervous, then maybe it is best to leave the car and walk or take the public transport.
• Dress comfortably and warmly. Bring extra warm clothes for everybody in the car in case you need get out of the car or stay in an unheated car for a long period of time.

The official site of the province of Ontario, Canada gives us useful tips on winter driving. I find the following checklist from the site very helpful:

• Ice scraper/snowbrush
• Shovel
• Sand or other traction aid
• Tow rope or chain
• Booster cables
• Road flares or warning lights
• Gas line antifreeze
• Flashlight and batteries
• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher
• Small tool kit
• Extra clothing and footwear
• Blanket
• Non-perishable energy foods – e.g., chocolate or granola bars, juice, soup, bottled water
• Candle and a small tin can
• Matches

I’d like to add my own must-haves in the car:

• A fully charged mobile phone
• A reflector vest (one for each passenger is required by law in Europe)
• A windshield foil that I can use to protect the windshield from snow or freezing in case I need to park outside (saves a lot of time because I do not have to scrape or defrost before driving off).
• De-icing liquid for the windshield and doors.
• A bottle of water

So how do you get prepare for winter driving?