Stay safe this winter

Winter is coming! 

The upcoming change in season presents Michigan drivers with some unique weather-related challenges over the next few months. 

The majority of winter driving crashes can be attributed to drivers going too fast for conditions. When this happens, drivers can lose control of their vehicle.

Keep these tips from The Parent’s Supervised Driving Guide in mind to help you (and others) stay safe on the road this winter:

• Make sure your vehicle is clear of snow and ice before driving. Driving can cause snow/ice to slide and block your view, or fly off and strike other vehicles.
• When starting to drive in snow, keep the wheels straight ahead and accelerate gently to avoid spinning the tires.
• Decrease your speed to make up for a loss of traction. Accelerate and decelerate gently, and be extra careful when braking.
• Stopping distances can be up to 10 times greater in ice and snow. Begin the slowing-down process long before a stop. Brake only when traveling in a straight line.
• Look ahead for dangerous spots, such as shaded areas and bridge surfaces that may be icy when the rest of the road is clear.

For more information, including items you should keep handy as part of a winter emergency safety kit, check out What Every Driver Must Know.

Tips for night driving

A driver's reaction time depends on their vision, which is limited at night. This makes it more difficult to make judgments and see pedestrians, bicyclists and other obstacles. Some tips to keep in mind:

• Glare from oncoming headlights makes it difficult to see. Looking toward the right side of the road and adjusting the rearview mirror can help to reduce headlight glare.
• Headlights should be turned on before the sun goes down to make the car more visible.
• High beams should only be used when other drivers won't see them, such as on isolated roadways with little traffic.
• To compensate for reduced visibility, drive more slowly and at a greater following distance.

Information excerpted from The Parent's Supervised Driving Guide, a helpful resource for families with young drivers.

Drivers of all ages need to be concerned with traffic laws, courtesy and safety. Always remember that safe driving is affected by your driving attitude and your ability to control your stress and anger. Do not let an aggressive driver's behavior provoke you to the point where you feel compelled to react in kind. Ruth Johnson Secretary of State

Teaching tip for parents

When your teen makes a mistake, which will be often, do not criticize. Remain calm and simply repeat the maneuver until it's done correctly. To ease their frustration, emphasize that mistakes are a normal part of learning.

Know how to safely
handle a tire blowout

If a front tire blows out, your vehicle will pull sharply in the direction of the blowout. If a rear tire blows out, your vehicle will wobble and shake and pull some toward the blowout.

In either case: 1. Grip the steering wheel firmly. 2. DO NOT BRAKE HARD. 3. Allow the vehicle to slow on its own or brake gently if necessary. 4. Check traffic around you. 5. Turn on emergency flashers. 6. Drive to a protected location and pull off the roadway. 

Give yourself room

Keep a "cushion of space" around your vehicle when driving on a highway. Look at least 12 seconds ahead of your vehicle to anticipate hazards and maintain awareness of merging and exiting vehicles.

Also, turn your head to check your vehicle's blind spots before every lane change. While you cannot get rid of blind spots, you can make them smaller by properly adjusting the mirrors.