Leave space, adjust to winter conditions says AMA

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – The Alberta Motor Association (AMA) is reminding drivers to adjust to the winter driving conditions with dropping temperatures and a fresh layer of snow on the ground.

The organization says its best piece of advice when driving in snowy and icy conditions is to give plenty of room between you and the car in front.

“Try to keep about a three-second distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. And that’s during normal conditions, when it’s nice out,” explains Manager of Driver Education Ryan Lemont.

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“When the snow starts flying and the streets start getting slicked up, you might want to increase it to maybe four or even six seconds between yourself and the vehicle in front. Just to give yourself that extra buffer.”

Lemont says conditions can change at any moment in Alberta, so it’s important to be prepared for the weather. And be mindful of when–and how–you’re braking.

“It’s kind of up to the driver to figure out what works best for them and their vehicle,” said Lemont. He adds the idea is to get enough traction without triggering your anti-locking brake system (ABS).

“But, the best braking technique is a good, firm pressure on the brake pedal right before your ABS kicks in. And that’s called ‘threshold braking’.”

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Lemont says another challenge is getting up icy hills: he suggests avoiding them altogether or getting a solid set of winter tires if you’ve got unavoidable slopes on your regular commute.

“If you’re not comfortable doing it, make sure you take that detour. You don’t want to risk something like that, going up a kill and then having to stop and causing a disruption in the traffic. Plan ahead. If it’s not something you feel is in your skillset, by all means, bypass it and take another route.”

If you’d like to brush up on your winter driving skills, the AMA offers a winter driving course.