Elgin Police offer tips for safe winter driving
With the winter season upon us, drivers will likely have little choice but to take to wintry roads over the next several months.
The Elgin Police Department's Traffic Unit wants you to drive safely and be prepared for possible cold-weather roadside emergencies. From packing extra gear for warmth to equipping and maintaining your vehicle, be ready for the unexpected when you're heading out for a drive in the winter.
Some of the basic accessories to keep on hand in your vehicle during the winter include extra gloves, hats, a blanket, a flashlight with fresh batteries, a snow brush and ice scraper, a small shovel, jumper cables, a bag of sand, and a cellphone charger.
Be sure your windshield wipers are in good working condition and supported by a full well of winterized washer fluid. If your windshield wipers are on, your headlights are required to be on, too.
Keep your gas tank filled and the engine cared for. Tires need proper tread and air pressure. Pickup trucks should have extra weight placed in the truck bed to help prevent skidding.
Skidding can be very unnerving, so remember what to do if it happens to you. If skidding from the front end, release the brake and let the front wheels roll freely to regain traction and steering control. If skidding from the rear, take your foot off the accelerator and turn in the direction that the rear of the vehicle is skidding while slightly pumping the brakes.
Even if you have an anti-lock braking system, sometimes sliding will still occur and the previously noted tips should help you regain control of the vehicle.
Black ice is common in shaded areas, on bridges, overpasses, and underpasses, as these areas freeze quicker due to air circulation. If you encounter black ice, do not panic. Make no sudden changes in direction or speed, ease off the accelerator and gradually steer in the direction that the rear of the vehicle is sliding.
It isn't always snow and ice that drivers encounter in the winter. Sometimes it is rain or slush, which can create an optimal hydroplaning scenario event at speeds as low as 30 mph. Tires can glide on a film of water, snow, slush or ice, similar to water skis. If this is the case, there is no friction to brake, speed, or turn. To avoid hydroplaning, you must slow down.
Finally, if you're driving in fog, use low beam headlights. Fog acts as a mirror and will reflect the brighter headlight beam back toward your vehicle.
Keep yourself and others safe by reducing your speed and providing greater space between vehicles, at least three car lengths, along with earlier turn signal notification so that you, and others, may stop in a timely manner. Plan alternate routes in case they are needed.
A goal of the Elgin Police Department is to increase traffic safety. Hopefully, these tips will help you and your family safely commute and travel this winter.
• Officer Lorenz Burkert of the Elgin Police Department's Traffic Unit has been a police officer with the city of Elgin for 27 years and in the Traffic Unit for 7.