As we begin February, the worst of winter is upon us; many of us want to stay inside and bundle up with a pile of blankets, drinking hot beverages and bingeing our favorite TV shows! Unfortunately, life won’t stop because it’s cold outside. Sooner or later you’ll have to brave the icy road to get to school, work, or hang out with friends.
The temperature can be especially intimidating if you are a new driver. Frosted windows and slippery roads are real roadblocks, but buckle up because these 10 tips and tricks for safe and easy winter driving will prepare you to handle the roads with confidence.
IT’S ALL IN THE PREP!
- “Winter survival kit”
You never want to be caught off guard in a slippery situation; always keep a few essentials in your car, like a phone charger, flashlight, gloves, and an ice scraper. These things can be lifesavers if you find yourself stuck or delayed. You might also consider packing up a set of emergency warm clothes; a dry pair of socks and a warm hoodie can go a long way if you get stuck on the side of the road; they’ll keep you nice and toasty while you wait for help!
- Fill er’ up!
Keep an eye on your gas levels before you leave in the morning; when the temperature drops, moisture in the air may easily condense and freeze in your gas tank. By keeping your tank at least half full, you can ensure that your fuel lines won’t get clogged and prevent your car from starting.
- Weather watch
Check the weather before you go to bed; if the forecast shows the temperature will drop to 32 degrees or lower overnight, there’s a good chance the roads will be icy by the time the morning comes. Depending on how far from school you live, the sun might not be up to melt the ice before it’s time to go! By checking the weather the night before, you can adjust your morning routine and leave a little time for scraping off your mirrors and defrosting your windshield.
CHILLY CHEATS
Despite using tips 1-3, if you park your car outside, you may not be able to avoid waking up to a layer of ice on your car! Here are 3 perfect life hacks to speed things up!
- Homemade windshield de-icer
If you park outside, you are all too familiar with the sight of thick frost covering your windshield, making it impossible to see out of it. “I was almost late to first period because my windshield was frosted over.” Abi Robison (12) complained. Instead of cranking your defroster all the way up and hoping for the best, try mixing ⅔ rubbing alcohol and ⅓ water in a spray bottle to quickly melt the ice.
- Fight the frost
If you don’t want to try the de-icer concoction, you might consider using a large beach towel or a piece of carpet as a DIY windshield cover. Stretch the towel out over the window the night before, so when you wake up, you’ll be able to peel it off and have no need to worry about scraping anything! If you are willing to spend a little extra money, you can buy a windshield cover (specially made for your car) online for as little as 7 dollars! And as a bonus hack, you can tie grocery bags to your side mirrors to avoid them frosting over.
- Melt your way in!
“I went out to my car one morning, and my door was frozen shut.” Abby Philley (12). Don’t waste your time waiting for your lock to thaw on its own. Instead, try applying hand sanitizer to the frozen lock, much like the DIY de-icer. The alcohol in hand sanitizer will lower the freezing point of water and melt the ice inside of the lock.
REMEMBER YOUR TRAINING
Don’t let the change in temperature trip you up! It’s important to follow the appropriate traffic laws and adjust your driving to fit the conditions of the road. If you prepare for your day using tips 1-3, you shouldn’t have to rush to your destination. Remember to give yourself plenty of time to avoid speeding.
- Hold up!
Remember, winter driving is not a race! Consider going slower than usual on icy roads and leave room between you and the car ahead of you. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding plays a role in 57% of fatal car crashes occurring on icy roads.
- 10 more minutes!
Although you may not want to, try setting your alarm 5-10 minutes before you usually get up so you can allow yourself more time to arrive at school. It may sound like a challenging task, but you will thank yourself in the end because you won’t have to worry about being late or speeding to school.
ICY DO’S AND DON’TS
It is easy to stumble across seemingly helpful and easy hacks on social media, but make sure you do your research before testing them out so you can avoid getting yourself into an “unhackable” situation.
- Hot stuff
It may seem insightful to pour hot water on ice to thaw your windshield, but if the water is too hot, the drastic temperature jump can cause the glass to expand and contract unevenly and eventually crack. Instead of doing this, you should try manually scraping off the ice, turning on your defrosters, making a special de-icer, or using a towel or tarp to prevent ice.
- Fire vs. ice
If your keyhole is frozen shut, do not use a lighter to heat up your key; although it may seem smart to use the hot metal to melt the ice inside the hole, the direct flame from a lighter could damage the shape of your key as well as the internal mechanism of your door, especially if it has electronic features. It is best to apply hack number 6 and utilize the alcohol in hand sanitizer.
Depending on the type of car you have and where you park, these hacks might not apply to you, but most of them can be helpful to relay to friends and family or to remember in case of an emergency: “I park in the garage, but I still have an emergency car kit just in case,” said Nae Humphrey (12).