Winter Driving

True or False: reducing the air pressure in your tires improves traction.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Reducing air pressure doesn’t improve traction. It reduces steering ability and can cause a blowout if the tire overheats.

Below are the four most common reasons a vehicle will go into a skid. Which is the most common?

• A) Driving too fast

• B) Excessive braking/decelerating too quickly for the conditions

• C) Over-steering

• D) Over acceleration

Answer explanation

Driving too fast. Going fast is easy, it’s stopping that’s a challenge.

What should drivers do if their vehicle starts to skid?

• Brake lightly, ease off the accelerator, steer toward a reference point and into the skid

• Ease off the accelerator, steer toward a reference point and into the skid

• Honk your horn to alert others and steer away from oncoming traffic

Answer explanation

Ease off the accelerator, steer toward a reference point and into the skid. If the vehicle has a manual transmission, the driver can slowly depress the clutch pedal while slowly easing off the accelerator.

Where is black ice most likely to form?

• At the top of a hill

• On lesser-used roads

• On bridges and in shady areas

• In parking lots and driveway

In winter, drivers should never let the fuel level in their vehicle drop below:

• 10%

• 25%

• 30%

Answer explanation

Ideally, drivers should fuel up every night, for two reasons:

#1 A full tank reduces condensation which can plug up the fuel line.

#2 If road conditions take a turn for the worse, it’s better to have plenty of fuel versus taking the chance of running out of gas.

When bad weather is in the forecast, what should drivers do every time they take a break or fuel up?

• Check weather conditions

• Ensure windows, lights and reflectors are free from snow, ice and grime

• Check their hat hair

• A & B

Answer explanation

Weather conditions can change throughout the day. Drivers should check for updates whenever they stop for fuel or a rest break. At every stop, they should remove accumulated snow, ice and road grime from windows, lights and reflectors to get the best possible visibility and ensure the vehicle is visible to other drivers. Keeping lights and reflectors clean can also help commercial drivers avoid getting pulled over. Observable defects are the primary reason for DOT inspections. Experienced drivers often carry spare bulbs and fuses.

Which of the two common incidents below happens most often?

• A vehicle collision

• An out of vehicle slip and fall

Answer explanation

Slips and falls are the #1 cause of driver injuries and 22% of those injuries are serious enough that drivers miss 30+ days of work.

On what day of the week are drivers most likely to have a deadly collision?

• Monday

• Thursday

• Friday

• Saturday

Answer explanation

Saturday is the most common day for fatal collisions in winter, and the odds spike during winter holidays. Friday is the most dangerous day of the work week. (83% of people don’t know the correct answer to this question)

When driving on snowy or icy roads, it can take up to # times longer to stop?

• 3 times longer

• 5 times longer

• 10 times longer

• 20 times longer

When driving on a wet road, drivers should:

• Reduce their speed at least 10%

• Reduce their speed at least 15%

• Reduce their speed at least 25%

Answer explanation

EXAMPLE: If you’d drive 55 mph in ideal conditions, reduce speed to 40 mph when the road is wet. (57% of people get this question wrong)