In this blog entry, the professional Chicago roadside assistance service and Chicago vehicle recovery service team here at Towing Chicago will detail why it’s so dangerous to speed or use cruise control on snowy or icy roads.
Why is speeding dangerous on snow-covered roads?
When you speed on snow or ice covered roads, your time and distance to react to sudden obstacles is greatly reduced. Snow and ice reduce tire traction, making it very hard to suddenly stop or change direction. When driving at higher speeds, even turning the wheel a tiny bit can cause you to lose control and make your vehicle skid or spin. Speeding drastically increases the chances of experiencing a collision, which the chances of are also increased by bad visibility. Driving more slowly allows you to better react to changing road conditions like snow drifts or black ice.
Why is cruise control dangerous in snowy conditions?
Cruise control is meant to help you maintain a steady speed, which is ideal on empty dry roads, but becomes dangerous in winter weather. Often snowy roads have different traction areas with patches of slush or ice. If your car is driving on cruise control and hits a slippery spot, it may accelerate to maintain speed, causing your tires to speed and making it very hard to get control back of your vehicle, especially if you’re driving on a curve or hill. Cruise control also lowers the engagement of drivers, and winter driving requires special focus to remain safe.
What are your main tips for safe winter driving in Chicago?
- Keep a consistent and steady speed
- Don’t drive with cruise control on – drive manually
- Keep a large distance between you and the car in front of you and behind you to accommodate for longer stopping distances
- Avoid sudden hard braking or sharp turns to avoid skidding
- Stay focused, alert, and vigilant the entire drive
- Use tire chains or winter tires to improve traction
- Keep an emergency kit in your vehicle that includes a shovel, blankets, warm clothes, food, water, and road flares
- Always charge your phone and check weather conditions before embarking on a drive in the winter