Driving Tips
Here are some pearls of wisdom from the people at the Bridgestone Winter Driving School, which can help gauge the precariousness of your surroundings and prevent you and your truck from skating off the road like Oksana Baiul.
Look in your rearview mirror first, then tap your brakes to see what it takes to lock up the wheels.
That broad roadside shoulder is probably just a ditch filled with snow. So before you pull to the right, test it, and prepare to ease back on the road if the going gets soft.
Brake and accelerate only in a straight line to prevent your truck from chasing its tail.
Intersections are often the most slippery and dangerous places to drive in a snowstorm. Ditto for hills. With drivers all sharing the same path, hitting the brakes and spinning tires in virtually the same spots, an icy road can get polished like a mirror. Keep speed in check and think about where your best bets for traction might be. Slow and steady will get you and your truck home safely.
It doesn't help to turn lights on if they're caked with snow and ice. Clean them off and turn them on to keep other motorists aware of your presence. Auxiliary lights are great for guiding you through a desolate part of town, but keep them off in traffic to avoid blinding everyone else.
Correctly reading the road can prevent metal-crunching collisions. Be aware of the stuff they taught you back in high-school driver education. Bridges and overpasses ice over first because they don't benefit from Mother Earth's natural warmth. Look out for places that receive little direct sunlight all day.