How To Drive in Inclement Weather

Motorists who are driving in inclement weather should first be prepared for those conditions, packing water for long trips, extra clothes for rain or snow, a cooler chest with ice for extreme heat, and so on.

Other essential items for any driving trip include a spare tire, first aid kit, and, if possible, a charged mobile phone to call for help should you need it. You should also have the appropriate gear for the conditions, meaning snow chains for winter mountain passes, water for the engine and riders in heat, or raingear for heavy precipitation.

Driving on a longer trip during which you may experience some rough weather also requires some increased awareness by drivers. Check the television weather, local newspaper forecast, or Internet for the weather report.

Plan your trip accordingly, and avoid combining bad conditions, such as heavy snow or rain, with night driving. This can produce a dangerous mix of driving fatigue, lower visibility, and difficult road conditions. Include plans for rest and night stops. If bad weather is predicted, account for more travel time because of it.

Regardless of the inclement weather and difficult driving conditions, including wind storms and flooding, you must always remain focused on your driving, and don't let the conditions around you distract you from the road, what is up ahead, and what is behind you.

Know the Road

A good way to approach driving in inclement weather is testing yourself and your vehicle for the circumstances. You can familiarize yourself with wet, snowy, or icy roads and how your vehicle will behave on them. Choose an area of roadway where there is plenty of space, good visibility, no oncoming or approaching vehicles, and no pedestrians or pets nearby (a parking lot also works well). When all is clear, test your stopping power by slamming on the brakes. This not only gives you a feel for the road, but it also gives you a sense of how your vehicle reacts to heavy braking, and how you can maintain control.

Once you have tested stopping a couple of times, you can try to feel out the steering by accelerating, but keep it to a short burst of fuel, and be sure to maintain control and prepare to stop again. If the wet or icy road is extremely slippery, you will know before you are forced off the roadway or into an accident because you do not have the space you need to stop or turn. Testing the road can also help you practice what to do to deal with the weather and the roads.

Slower For Weather

The best way to maintain control and safety once you are out driving in inclement weather is by slowing down your speed. In addition to slick roadways, bad weather can also make driving dangerous because of low visibility. You should lower your speed according to the visibility in front of you, keeping in mind what it would take to stop if you were to suddenly see another vehicle's tail lights a few feet in front of your car.

If you cannot see beyond a few car lengths in front of your vehicle because of snow, rain, fog, or other weather, you should pull off as far as possible to the side of the road at an appropriate place, illuminate your hazard lights, and wait out the weather, preferably a safe distance from the vehicle, which could be struck by another motorist in the low-visibility conditions. This highlights the need for appropriate outerwear and other supplies to have, such as an umbrella and flares.

Stormin' Ahead

Some drivers do not adjust their driving to the conditions, and continue at regular speeds in situations that warrant caution, lower speeds, and greater distances between vehicles. Focus on your own driving, and if conditions are making you concerned, slow down. Other motorists who want to drive fast through inclement weather should be allowed to pass, but don't be distracted by them. The best thing you can do to deal with aggressive drivers is to avoid being one. It makes even less sense to do so in inclement weather.

Further reading:

• National Weather Service

• Highway Conditions for the U.S. and Canada