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Show mursaay, uecemoer i, mil Winter Driving Brings Recognized Hangups "Most drivers recognize the two big hang-ups of winter driving inadequate traction and reduced ability to but many drivers neglect neg-lect to compensate for them.' This observation was made recently by Robert D. Bailey, Utah Safety Council's Coun-cil's Vice President for Traffic. Traf-fic. "To survive on winter roadways drivers must learn to live with these twin bad-weather bad-weather driving beasts or get racked up in a crash. Skidding and 'didn't see' accidents ac-cidents are killers that our officers have to clean up after af-ter many times every fall and winter," he said. The state safety authority asked drivers to review with them of the bad weather weath-er roadways hazards, and techniques for handling them, developed over the years by the National Safety Saf-ety Council's Committee on Winter Driving Hazards. WET PAVEMENT. Accidents Acci-dents climb when it rains. If rain is heavy your car may start hydroplaning. Tires ride on a sheet of water wa-ter off the pavement, and steering control is lost before be-fore you realize it. Water skiing is fun but not on the freeway with several tons of Detroit Iron for skis. During Dur-ing and after a heavy rain, reduce speed, cheek steering, steer-ing, and allow more space for stopping. SNOW AND ICE. At only 20 miles an hour you can use to to 10 car lengths In getting stopped on ice, compared com-pared with about one car length on dry pavement. Every driver should learn the technique of "pumping" brakes to slow or stop. If you are trying to stop on ice or hard-packed snow, resist the impulse to jam on your brakes. A locked wheel skid can be fatal. Instead jab your brakes on and off quickly three to five times a second. This pumping act-pulling act-pulling ability. Always carry tently, helping to retain steering control. EQUIPMENT Regardless Regard-less of the types of tires you use, you can't stop on an ice dime, but good treads do help. Tests show that snow tires improve traction considerqably on loosely packed snow, though they arent of any help when it comes to stopping on glare ice. For severe snow and ice conditions, however, reinforced rein-forced tire chains provide the ultimate in stopping and booster cables, a tow chain them in the trunk along with a shovel, sand, rock salt or a piece of carpeting, booster cables ,a tow chain or strap, and emergency lighting equipment. SKIDDING Wet ice is especially treacherous. At 30 degrees - near thawing, it is twice as slippery as at zero. Make turns gently and cautiously. Watch for icy patches at bridges and overpasses. over-passes. Don't brake when you hit an icy spot. Hold the wheel steady and roll through. If you do go into a skid, ease up on the gas and steer in the direction the rear end is skidding. Don't hit the brakes when a skid starts. When you feel yourself coming out of the skid, straighten your wheels. VISION This is the second sec-ond Bad Weather Beast. Longer hours of darkness along with rain, sleet, snow and road muck all add to driving hazards. Snow, ice and road sluh must be cleaned off windshields and windows as well as the ;headlights and tail-lights. Be sure your defroster works efficiently. |