Safety Manager Tip of the Month: Winter Driving

When drivers don’t adjust their habits to accommodate changing or deteriorating weather conditions, the road becomes dangerous for everyone around them. Winter brings unique challenges for drivers, from fewer hours of daylight to unpredictable weather patterns. Since winter is accompanied by the holiday season, it’s also a busier time for virtually every industry.

There are so many ways winter driving can be more dangerous than other times of the year. Weather is the most obvious threat, but blowing in along with wintry conditions is an uptick in traffic. More people are behind the wheel during the holiday season, which means more distracted and drunk drivers. Every year, more than 1 million vehicle crashes involve hazardous weather, resulting in 5,376 deaths.

During the holidays, many drivers travel on unfamiliar roads and might make sudden stops or other abrupt moves. Additionally, drivers who work long hours are fighting fatigue as well as weather and traffic, which leads to more collisions.

The Smith System’s Smith5Keys are especially important to keep in mind this time of year as you travel down the roadways in support of our customers. They are designed to provide drivers with the knowledge and skills to create:

• Space to maneuver their vehicle away from conflict.
• Visibility to detect danger and the potential for conflict with another vehicle or fixed object early.
• Time to react to volatile and complex driving environments.

The Smith5FiveKeys are:

Key 1: Aim High in Steering

• Look ahead to where you will be at least 15 seconds into your future.
• A 15-second eye-lead time provides advance warning and gives you an additional margin of safety.
• Use improved eye-lead time for more efficient and economical driving.

Key 2: Get the Big Picture

• Check at least one of your mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds.
• Eliminate visual barriers by establishing proper following distance.
• Stay far enough behind other vehicles to obtain the visibility necessary to make your own decisions.

Key 3: Keep Your Eyes Moving

• Scan all intersections before entering them.
• Keep your eyes moving every 2 seconds.
• Avoid distractions in your vehicle and in your thinking.

Key 4: Leave Yourself an Out

• The safest position in traffic is with few or no vehicles around you.
• When possible, surround your vehicle with space.
• If you lose part of the cushion, work to keep at least the front and one side open.

Key 5: Make Sure They See You

• Detect the presence of potential danger early.
• Send your warning signals as soon as you think they will be recognized not too soon or too late.
• Seek eye contact by using the warning devices on your vehicle.
• Do not take eye contact for granted. Be sure your warnings are heeded.
• Eye contact is valuable, but it is no guarantee against the unexpected.

The Smith5Keys help drivers see, think and act their way through various driving environments, challenges and changes that exist regardless of where they travel or the vehicles they operate. They apply to all types of driving conditions, especially during holiday and winter months.