With snow and below-freezing temperatures impacting much of Oregon, AAA Oregon/Idaho urges drivers to be prepared for winter driving conditions.
“Make sure your vehicle is ready for cold weather, and that you’re prepared to drive on slick roads and with reduced visibility,” says AAA Oregon/Idaho Public Affairs Director Marie Dodds. Find tips and helpful advice at AAA.com/winterprep.
Whenever Mother Nature brings snow and freezing temperatures, the number of calls to AAA Oregon/Idaho for roadside assistance can spike. The most common problems in cold weather are dead batteries, frozen locks and vehicle extrications. “Drivers aren’t always prepared to deal with colder weather and winter driving conditions,” adds Dodds.
Before heading out in Oregon, check the latest forecasts, and visit TripCheck.com or call 511 for the latest road conditions and incident information, especially if you are driving over mountain passes.
Here are the top four tips for cold weather prep:
- Check your vehicle’s battery. Dead batteries are the number one reason why people call AAA during a cold snap. “Most vehicle batteries have a lifespan of about three years. If your battery is approaching the end of its lifespan, it may turn over fine when it’s 40 degrees and raining, but it may not start up when the thermometer dips below freezing, especially if the cold weather lasts for longer than a couple of days,” says Dodds.
- Have proper traction. Equip your car with the right snow tires, or carry chains or tire socks and know how to put them on.
- Know how to go on ice and snow. The number one mistake people make when driving on slick roads is going too fast for the road conditions.
- Don’t leave home without an emergency kit in your car. Bring water and snacks for all passengers. Even a normally short trip can take hours in wintry weather so have enough provisions in case of a long delay.
Drive Smart:
- Slow down on snow- and ice-covered roads. Driving too fast for the road conditions is the number one mistake people make on slick roads. Watch the traffic ahead and slow down immediately at the sight of brake lights or skidding vehicles.
- Leave plenty of distance between you and the car in front of you. Allow at least three times more space than usual.
- Make gentle stops and starts to prevent skids; don’t brake or accelerate quickly.
- Don’t brake and turn at the same time as this can make your tires lose traction.
- Steer out of a skid. If your vehicle begins to skid, take your foot off the brake and the accelerator and look where you want to go. Gently steer the car in that direction, keeping both hands on the steering wheel.
- Avoid unnecessary lane changes as this increases the chances of hitting a patch of ice between lanes.
- Don’t power up hills because this may only result in spinning your wheels. At the same time, don’t stop while traveling uphill as it can be difficult to get going again.
- Know what type of braking system you have and how to apply brakes properly (for example, don’t pump anti-lock brakes. Instead, firmly press the brake pedal.) Downshift to a lower gear to reduce speed.
