Don’t let snow, cold get you in hot water this winter

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. A.D. Davis
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Safety Office
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  While winter hasn't officially arrived in the great white north, you'd never know it. The cold and icy weather has arrived, and a date on the calendar is, for the most part, insignificant. So, now it's time for the kids to play in the snow, to look forward to even more of the white, powdery ice crystals in hopes of setting the land speed record for sledding (if you can find a hill!) and, of course, ever hoping the extreme cold will result in no school days.

While the children are preparing for the winter games, we adults have to relearn the intricacies of operating a motor vehicle on the snow and ice-covered roads. It seems no matter how long folks have lived in the tundra, no matter how many miles they've accrued on winter-kissed roadways, they must return to square one once the first frosty dusting occurs.

There are several things we can do to prepare ourselves for the winter traveling season. The first is to admit we're not as proficient or prepared at driving in these conditions as we might think we are. Once we accept that fact, we can move on to the more pragmatic areas.

1) Anticipate the conditions by checking the forecast--give yourself ample time. We recommend doubling the normal trip time if the roads are not clear or if the snowfall is heavy. Always be on the look-out for the "other guy".

2) Stay within your limits and your vehicle's capabilities. If you've never driven in wintry conditions before (or if it's been a long time), now's not the time to be a test driver. Ensure your vehicle is prepared prior to departure--check tires, battery, engine fluids, and wipers for good working condition. Also remember...just because you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, you're not immune to icy roads. Reduce speed, change direction gradually and avoid over-braking.

3) Ensure you have a winter survival kit in your vehicle, to include extra clothing and water. Most importantly, have your cell phone with a car charger. For a recommended list, please see the safety handout, "Cold Hard Facts".

4) Leave your itinerary with someone. Venturing out into the frigid North Dakota prairie without telling someone of your whereabouts is a recipe for disaster.

5) Get plenty of rest before a long trip. AFI 91-207, Traffic Safety, states you should limit any day involving driving to a maximum of 14 hours. Remember, fatigue is a driver's worst enemy.

Clearly, winter weather presents many obstacles to safely operating a motor vehicle. We don't need to stack the odds against ourselves by failing to plan. Part of our core values is "excellence in all we do." This includes thorough preparation for hazardous arctic-like conditions. The hazards won't magically go away, so we have to take steps to mitigate them. Personal operational risk management--Assessing the situation; Considering the options; and Taking the appropriate action--is the key to making it through the harsh Dakota winter, and arriving safely at our follow-on destination. For this Texas boy...that's spring!