Winter Driving

We're well into winter here in Syracuse. Everyone knows a typical Syracuse winter involves multiple feet of snow and temperatures regularly below freezing. Syracuse has even achieved the "Golden Snowball" award for the past five years. The award is given to the city in Upstate New York with the most snow. Through December the snow seemed to be holding off on us, but since January the amount of snow has picked up drastically. What's that mean? Snow days? No. Warmth? Keep dreaming. But what is the worst? winter driving conditions.

Driving conditions during the winter are hard to handle. The roads are slippery, ice is everywhere and it doesn't really help to have snow whipping at your windshield. But people still need to get places, so no matter what the weather people need to drive. This includes teens.

Jamesville-DeWitt High School sophomore Mina Huckins has been driving for about a month. "I've never driven when it's not winter so it's normal for me," she says.

J-DHS senior Eric Semmel is a little more used to winter driving as he's been driving for nearly two years. "I have snow tires on my car so it grips the snow a lot better so I don't slide as much," he says.

Many admit that it's just something you have to get used to. "It's normally not that bad, but when you get those periods of snow when it snows a lot and snow stays on the road or there's ice, that's when you really need to watch out. Other than that it's just like driving in the spring, summer and fall," said J-DHS senior Val Hughes. J-DHS junior Natalie Della Posta has been driving since September, but seems to be taking to the change of weather well. "You have to be more conscious of everything, but it's pretty much the same," she says, "It's the same feeling of driving, it's just a little more slippery." J-DHS junior Mason Schoeneck also agrees the winter driving is mostly normal, but adds that icy roads can be a hazard. "My mom doesn't always let me drive when the roads are icy," he says.

You've heard it before, the most important tip almost anyone, including teens, can give about driving in these circumstances is to drive s l o w. "You should drive slower when it's icy," said Schoeneck who's been driving for about six months. "It's kind of easier to stick to your habits and drive as fast as you usually would, but in the winter it's icy and it's not safe to drive at normal speeds," Semmel says. Hughes also says she regularly drives slower in the winter. "You should drive the speed limit and you always need to look out for other kids and drivers," she says.

The driver's seat isn't the only place that can be nerve-wracking in the winter; the passenger can also be struck with fear as they watch the car slip and slide across the roads. J-DHS sophomore Jessica Salbert isn't of driving age yet, but is often driven by her brother to school. "It's very scary because we sometimes swivel and he hasn't been driving very long so I'm afraid he doesn't have control of the road," she says, "I think he is confident so I try not to worry about it, but sometimes if the roads are really bad I take the bus because I don't really trust him." Even though she wishes for summer, she admits even riding with her brother is "better than always having to take the bus."

Many students find that driving in the winter can become maddening. "It's a little bit frustrating because I have to leave earlier for anywhere I'm going," Semmel says. Della Posta thinks the same way. "When I actually have to go somewhere it can be a little frustrating, but most of the time I just think I'll get there eventually," she says.

If you've been having some difficulty with the roads lately, here are some tips The National Safety Council offers to keep you on the road and between the yellow lines:

Get an engine tune up in the fall
Check your lights, brakes, battery, and fluids (antifreeze)
Make sure your wiper blades are cleaning properly
The way to warm up a vehicle's engine is not to idle it, but to just drive it

A few supplies and equipment that The National Safety Council advises to have handy during the winter months are:
Snow shovel
Ice scraper/snow brush
Tire chains
Flashlight
Jumper cables
Warm clothing

Even with all the precautions, getting stuck in snow is still bound to happen. If you do find yourself stuck, here are a few tips The National Safety Council provides to help get unstuck.

Don't spin your wheels by pushing the gas, but rather turn them side to side with the wheel a few times to try to push the snow out of the way
Rocking the vehicle proves to be a simple way to get your vehicle moving again.
Don't get out of the vehicle if you're stranded, but do open a window a crack to avoid carbon monoxide build up and so the vehicle is not air tight.