Poor Weather

When the subject of poor road conditions comes up, weather springs to mind. Rain, snow, ice, and fog will throw a number of challenges at you. Knowing what to expect in various poor weather conditions will help you to keep you and your passengers safe. Stay calm and in control. Practice the techniques you are about to learn. Soon you will discover that driving in poor weather requires more attention and skill but is no cause for stress or panic.

In general, expect to have less time to react to a problem when conditions are poor. Also expect that you’ll need longer distances to react. This concerns mostly stopping distances. Hard stops or jerky turns can throw you into a skid. Everything you do in dry, clear conditions must now be done more gradually.

Do you remember the 2 second rule? Slippery roads that come with poor weather require longer stopping distances but faster reaction times. As conditions worsen, increase your following distance. In the worst cases with slick roads and darkness, turn the 2 second rule into the 5 or 6 second rule. That additional time and cushion can be a life saver.

Visibility will likely be limited, again, making it more difficult for you have advanced warning of trouble or risks ahead. Consider this as well: If you are having difficulty seeing or need more time to react, then so is every other driver. Stay alert and be aware that the actions of other drivers can put you in danger. In the case of bad weather with slick roads, we’re not just talking about careless, even reckless behavior. Drivers inexperienced with driving in bad weather pose a serious risk to themselves and everyone around them. The problem is, you can’t learn how to drive in poor weather conditions unless you actually drive in poor weather conditions