Brrr! The cold weather is officially here and so are the added challenges of driving amongst the winter conditions. During the winter months it is highly important to add extra safety measures and planning to take on old man winter. Check out these tips on driving during the winter that can help make your drive safe and more efficient.

Be Prepared

During the winter it’s extra important to always look to carry the right essentials with you during your drive. Look to add these items to your truck to help keep you prepared in case of an emergency while on the road.

• Extra clothing layers

• Gloves

• Flashlight

• Rain gear

• Windshield washer fluid

• Blankets

• Bag of sand or salt

• Tire chains

• Jumper cables

• Snow scrapers and brushes

Drive Extra Careful On Bridges

Look to take extra care when driving on bridges and overpasses during the cold weather season. Black ice tends to pose as an increased threat and can make your truck spin out of control when encountered. Look to take on these situations slowly at a lower speed to avoid potential dangers from bridges.

Don’t Be A Hero

We all strive to be the best drivers out there and make our delivery on time providing exceptional service. But, it is important to know when a situation is unsafe and when you need to shut it down and wait until road conditions improve. Sometimes it’s best to communicate your conditions with your dispatcher and make a decision to wait out the winter weather conditions. A delivery delayed due to bad weather is always better than a delivery that can’t make it due to a dangerous accident that could have been avoided. You can always save the day with the right decision to be safe.

Slow Down

Winter driving conditions provide less of a reaction time due to ice, snow and slippery wet conditions. It’s important to slow down and provide a safe following distance around your truck. This way if a potential danger occurs on the road, you are best prepared with ample distance to make a decision without having to slam on your brakes.

Keep Your Lights Clean

Keep it clean so you can be seen. Make sure to avoid snow and ice on your tractor and trailer lights when you drive during the winter. When there is build up around your lights it not only minimizes your visibility, but challenges other drivers to see you which can provide added dangers. Before you grab the wheel look to check all of your lights to ensure they are clear from potential snow and crud that can be blocking your visibility.

So, there you have it Millis team. We hope that you find these tips helpful to drive during the winter season. Keep it safe out there and look to make the right decisions by being prepared and using the right judgements. Always look to use and implement the safety precautions and lessons taught during your MTI Training which will provide great value in your experiences on the road facing winters challenges.