By Blogger Mary Kate Williams

As winter trudges along in a never-ending fashion, we roll on. If not us, our tires roll through snow, sleet, hail, wind and occasional rain. Somehow, we survive it all. There are many survival techniques we take while driving: both with our cars and with ourselves.

If you read my last article, I gave some quick tips about how to outfit and maintain your car for the winter. Adapted driving is another critical winter survival skill. Here are some quick tips about driving in the winter not-so wonderland:

1. Your gas tank should always be full or near full during the winter. If you get stuck somewhere, running out of gas means running out of heat. Not good.

2. Make sure you have the right type of windshield-wiper fluid for the lower temperatures. Proper windshield-wiper fluid is less likely to freeze. Don’t go driving with your summertime windshield-wiper fluid and expect it to work- it won’t.

3.When snow or ice blankets cover the road, always watch out for other drivers. Some may be having a harder time and might slide out and hit you. Be extra cautious.

4. The trick to taking turns is driving slowly. Speeding up around corners may cause your car’s wheels to spin out of control and result in a crash. When you turn, take the turn wide. This allows you to avoid crashing into the drifts of snow gathered around the curbs.

5. Driving slowly is not just important for turns. Now is the time to drive more carefully and improve performance by going under the speed limit. Keeping your windshield wipers going will also improve visibility and control – I promise.

Hopefully these tips will help you speed through the season. If you need any more information about winter driving, please read my other articles and be safe! Stay strong, young drivers!