I have a client who is considering moving to Boise, however one of her biggest concerns is the weather; especially in the winter weather.  Not everybody has driven in the snow, some people the idea frightens them to death and others forget that it can be very dangerous.

3-2-1 Contact

A slide out occurs when your tires lose contact/grip with the surface of the road be it dry pavement, snow or ice.  The easiest way to lose contact is to accelerate too fast, suddenly turn or to slam on the brakes.  If you gently ease the car forward, you'll reduce your chances of losing traction and if you're coming to a stop or have to stop suddenly, pump the brakes gently so they don't lock.  Many cars today have built in anti-lock brakes that aid in stopping in slippery conditions.

Since it's Boise that we are talking about, if you wait just a few hours, usually all the snow on the road has melted off...at least on the busy streets.  The best rule for avoiding an accident on the snow roads is to just stay home altogether and in no time, the roads will be clear again.  In the rare case when the snow does stick around and turns to icy roads, follow these simple tips for a safe and sane trip to the store!

1. Start With Good Equipment

Regardless of the vehicle you drive, you should have a good set of all season tires.  Siped tires work especially well on snow-covered roads and can reduce tire wear in the summer.  Having an all wheel drive vehicle or a four-wheel drive vehicle is very helpful, but no matter what car you drive, black ice can be deadly.

2. Change Your Driving Habits

Probably the most important consideration when driving on the snow is your particular driving habits.  If you're the kind of person who comes to fast stops, likes to pull out in front of traffic and tailgate the person in front of you, you'll definitely wind up in the ditch.

3. Slow Down

When the roads are icy you have to slow down.  Period.  And I don't just mean the velocity of your vehicle, but also the speed of your day.  Give your self plenty of time to get to your destination and don't be rushed.

4. Gimme Some Space

The appropriate distance between you and the car ahead of you changes when the snowflakes fly.  Giving yourself plenty of room in traffic allows you to avert disaster and have complete control over your vehicle in the likely case that the driver in front of you (who didn't read this article) begins to slide out and lose control.

5. Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Stop

Stopping a car on ice is not as easy as stopping a car on dry asphalt.  I hate to overstate the obvious, but most accidents in the snow occur because of people sliding into the people in front of them because they aren't able to stop.  Prepare for a stop much sooner than you normally would.  Occasionally you can downshift to a lower gear to help you slow down.

6. Avoid Side-streets

Keep your car on roadways that experience more traffic.  De-icing and sand trucks will go to the most traveled streets first before heading into less traveled neighborhoods.  Taking back roads and untraveled routes are going to increase your chances of a slide off or other mishap.

I'm sure there are plenty of other tips and topics we could cover here, but this list should keep you safe and sane–getting you to the natural whole foods grocery store and back with a few pounds of Quinoa.

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