I was fortunate as a young lad that my father and grandfather saw the need to teach me the fundamental skills of vehicle operation in all types of weather conditions. I had the oppurtunity to experience driving several types of vehicles on unopened stretches of state and interstate highway. Early in my career in public safety, we were required to take Emergency Vehicle Operators Course,which included two full days of practical driving training in sedans, vans, and truck ambulances. I have since taken the Heavy Vehicle EVOC which deals with apparatus with a GVWR greater than 15K, including engines, ladders, and heavy rescues. That training has served me well through the years in addition to a lot of real world experience. In central NC we don't get a great deal of snow, mostly sleet and freezing rain. I'll take snow any day over ice.
It never ceases to amaze me how unprepared drivers are, especially in winter months and when inclimate weather is forecast. It seems that most folks are oblivious to the dangers of hypothermia, or are they just that apathetic?
I don't just carry a "survival Kit", I drive one. Having said that, I'm never totally satisified with the gear I carry. Always room for improvement, I guess.

The problem with drivers (particular in winter) is that everyone thinks they are Mario Andretti and all drivers out there are inferior compared to them...no matter what and blaming other / younger drivers etc.

When I was a firefighter and we were dispatched out to an MVA, we heard every excuse, reasons...real or imagined that people came up with instead of just saying "maybe it really was my fault..."

Enough said....

How many of you have seen people pass the plow trucks, or a sander? Never seems like a good idea to me. Duh... Darwin awards waiting to happen...

You're right though, we all think we're blessed with better skills than we really are. You need a healthy respect for what can happen.

My dad taugh me to drive at an early age, on dirt first, with some deep mud mixed in, later on pavement. Many of the things he taught me have stuck for life. Then the CHP Academy, with skid pan and high speed track. Then almost 31 years of driving fast in traffic, I never had a crash that was my fault. But todays kids seem to be taught how to put on makeup or text their buds while driving, with the sterio blasing away. Job security for the highway cops...

One of the first things to learn is simple: When conditions suck don't drive.

I'm all for optimism but IMHO there aren't that many vitally important reasons for me to fight my way through any serious storms. Before I leave I look at eh weather forecasts and if I have to stay put for another day or two so be it.

Second: Pack to stay an extra day or two where you are. This makes it easier to observe the first rule. If I know I have everything I need to stay put I'm less likely to feel forced to take risks. Having an extra change of clothing, any necessary medications and other supplies to camp in the truck if need be, is a good start in having emergency supplies on board.

Third: Have appropriate types and amounts of supplies for surviving in, or walking out from, the vehicle. This also helps with ...

Fourth: If things go south while your on the road pull off. But do it carefully and in a defensive manner. When things are really bad try to get off the road just after an underpass and back up to the other side of the rail. The idea is to put something substantial enough to deflect a loaded semi between you and your vehicle and traffic. Cement barriers, strong guard rails and underpass embankments are all good. Near an underpass has the advantage of doubling the chances of being found by rescuers. Get off the road before you run out of options. Before your forced off.

Having extra supplies in the vehicle makes pulling off feel more reasonable so there is less temptation to try to drive through when the odds are against you.

Look into some rally driving techniques. For slick and loose surfaces, these techniques work the best.

1. Left foot braking-faster reactions and more steering control, it can be hard on the brakes but is worth it for the control it gives you
2. Understand where the center of gravity of your vehicle is; know how to change it for greater traction
3. Get onto some ice and practice, get a feel for how it feels when the car begins to lose traction and throw the vehicle into some wild spins just to lose the fear of it

Do you live in New Hampshire? There is a good school up there which runs affordable weekend ice and snow driving training in your own car: Team O'Neil Rally School.

http://www.teamoneil.com/

Autoweek magazine http://autoweek.com has over the past few years run a series of articles on the poor state of young driver education in the US. They have also held several national conferences in an effort to change the way teen drivers are taught and licensed. They argue that the status quo is killing our children.

In particular they address ki4buc's father's argument that teaching skid control and advanced driving skills encourages fast, reckless driving. They report statistics that show that teens given advanced driving skills have fewer accidents and are less likely to die in an automobile.

There are plenty of places to take your teens to develop advanced skills. I've made sure all the young drivers in my family get this training.

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060904/FREE/60825007/1008/FREE

My local school dristrict no longer offer Driver Education courses

There seem to be several people assuming that other drivers are capable of thinking ahead. The results tend to disprove that. There are always some who don't comprehend the situation.


On the other hand, considering how little actual training, experience and examination of skills for driving is required compared to say, flying a light airplane, it's a wonder we aren't all dead.

To the parents who can't be bothered to teach their kids to drive safely I say - it isn't "we" who are killing kids. It is their parents doing it by omission.

I learned to drive at the same time I was learning to fly. Both taken very seriously and thoroughly by my father. Practice stalls in the airplane - practice skids in the snow in the car. Same idea - learn the limits of your control in a safe environ so you can stay away from the limits when you want to.

No crashes in 36 years and well over a half-million miles of driving (so far). Includes this morning's crashfest in Colorado.

"...Left foot braking..."

Depends. I grew up left foot braking a vehicle with an auto transmission, I find that it increases my "reaction" time, and I can brake smoother. Drive the EVOC instructors nuts tho, for this simple reason. If, in a panic stop situation, you hit the brakes with the left foot and the gas with the right, you lose the vacuum assist to the brakes, and you don't stop. I have always suspected that has something to do with those folks who are always driving thru the front wall of some business. If you are going to be a left foot braker, you have to do it ALL the time, and somehow train yourself to lift the right foot when pushing the left...