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Show HilEtopU BIO December 14, 2000 Preparation key to surviving winter driving by Gary Boyle Hilltop Times staff The snow is so delightful but the roads are quite frightful. With blankets of white and sheets of ice covering traffic lanes preparation is essential to winter driving survival. Winter driving is an exercise in skill and calm nerves. So if you have just arrived from a place where they close the base when there is minimal snow, informative preparation is essential, because UDOT will be closing highways before Hill closes its gates. Before you get in the car and go some place there are some things you will need. First make sure your battery is goods. Most auto parts places will test this for free or if you are uncomfortable with that and have a reliable mechanic go there, but it is essential your battery can put out 12 volts, loss of electrical system is doom in winter. Also make sure your heater and defroster work as well as your windshield wipers which should also have plenty of fluid in the reservoir, the roads will be sprayed with sand and salt regularly to keep ice down. You should have basic emergency items also, that would be jumper cables, spare tire and jack, first aid kit, flares and safety vest, a flashlight with spare batteries, some candles along with sealed matches and a tool kit. This may sound like overkill, but make sure these items are in your car, finding out while you are stalled on the side of the road is not the time to think of it. Things you will want to add for winter are blankets, spare warm clothes, a bag of salt or kitty litter or sand to spread on the snow for traction when you get stuck, a shovel to dig away snow, tire chains, an ice scraper with a brush, a cup or container to drink from, toilet paper and if possible travel with a cellular phone. If you are going on a long trip do not travel alone, tell some one where you are going and call them when you get there and before you leave, this will let people estimate when you should be there or back and if you dont make it will help concentrate the search. Thats right people get stranded on the road. All right you are ready to get in the car and start it, almost. First get all of the snow off of the vehicle all even the snow on the hood, the roof, the trunk, the rear and side windows. Part of winter driving is the ability to see others and not to hamper their ability to see you. Snow flying off the back of your car may look cool from inside but behind you it hampers vision. Also turn on your headlights, this may not help you see better but others will see you better. Do not use your high beams during a snowstorm or driving through fog, the light will simply reflect off the flakes and droplets and blind you. You are now in the car and ready to pull out into traffic. First, relax. Give yourself extra time to get to wherever it is you are going. The last thing you want to do while driving on ice is rush. Here in Utah there are a lot of people with drive, who are over confident, said Utah Safety Council Training Specialist Randy Cooper. Sometimes these people will cut you off or tailgate. Just slow down a little if possible and let them pass. Down the road you may see them on the side of the road stuck. Remaining calm is essential to driving in Utahs snowy conditions. At some point in the near future you will skid or slide on the road. If this is your first time driving on ice, the temporary loss of control of your vehicle will be terrifying. After a time, this occurrence will become merely scary. This is what you do, ease off the gas, DO NOT SLAM ON THE BRAKE. If you have front-whedrive steer in the direction you want to go, drive, steer out of the direction you are going.in. The key is to slow down and DO NOT SLAM ON THE BRAKE. If you need to brake slowly, of it four-whe- el SLOWLY tap on the brake to decrease speed. Braking hard will cause you to lose complete control of your vehicle. Allow adequate space between yourself and the vehicle in front of you, after all you may have to stop abruptly and you dont want to end up in a pileup. The general d buffer between vehicles. rule is to allow a During the snow season increase that to five seconds. The buffer is established by finding a stationary object two-secon- and then counting the time between you and the vehicle in front of you. Courtesy in abundance is beneficial during this time of year. Do not get flustered and agitated over inevitable delays. Stay calm during the inevitable skids and slides. Just relax over all. Let the high strung rude people reap what they sow, let them cut you off and dart down the road, they will get stuck in a ditch, wreck or worse. If you dont have to be somewhere and road conditions look to spooky to contemplate, stay at home and enjoy some quality time with your family or some self improvement exercises with a book or the television. You could even catch up on projects around the house or go outside and play in the snow. Winter in Utah is a great time of year and you should be having a good time. If this is your first home with snow get out and revel in it and when you have to drive through it just remember the average person doesnt want to be in a wreck just as much as you dont want to. el rear-whe- el 7 -r tl If J W tyS p "WiFi'S1 m r to pMinn klUU :? I r tTP&jf Give Her What She fReatty . &s Wants . . . r-- Facial Skin Rejuvenation Aesthetic Breast Surgery Liposuction SECURITY FINANCE Layton 1992 W Antelope Dr. Suite 3D Clinic Hours Sat 8 00 am S 30 pm Surv 7 30 am 5 00 pm Clinic Hours 8 00 am 5 30 7 30 am 5 00 Sat Sun pm pm Daniel Your Friend When You Need $$$ 4 580 So. 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