As temperatures drop, the risk of road safety hazards goes up. Winter weather – ice, sleet, snow – makes driving a lot more difficult than usual. It’s important to plan for this change in driving conditions, especially if you’re driving to, from, or at the workplace. You can avoid most safety risks with a little extra preparation.
Reduce your risk of accidents and navigate the road confidently by implementing these key winter driving safety tips for employees.
It’s harder to control your vehicle on a slick or snowy surface. Reducing your driving speed is one of the best ways to stay in control. Make sure you accelerate and decelerate slowly, too. To avoid skidding, slowly apply pressure to the gas to help your car regain traction.
Remember, it’s more difficult to slow down on icy or snow-covered roads. To ensure you don’t slide into other drivers, leave more space between cars than usual. You’ll want to have plenty of time to slow down or stop for vehicles in front of you.
Seatbelts save lives. You’re more likely to encounter danger on the road during winter weather, so it’s essential to protect yourself.
Understanding how your brakes work and how to use them effectively is key. It’s not a bad idea to spend some time practicing your braking if you’re driving a new or large vehicle.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) suggests following the three P’s of safe winter driving: Prepare, Protect Yourself, and Prevent Crashes.
These winter driving emergency tips can help you stay safe should you get stuck or can’t start your car.
Don’t get out of your car if possible. If you must, avoid overexertion. Conserving your body heat and energy is important.
In the case of a winter weather crash, contact emergency personnel as soon as possible. If it’s not safe to stay in your car, do what you can to keep yourself warm while you wait for help to arrive.
It can be hard to see clearly in winter weather. Help other drivers see and avoid hitting you by leaving your interior dome light on or by putting bright markers on your car’s antenna.
Only run your vehicle as much as you need to stay warm. If you leave your car running for long periods, make sure the windows aren’t rolled up. Likewise, make sure your exhaust pipe isn’t blocked by snow.
Keep yourself and other drives safe on the road with these essential winter driving safety tips for employees:
You can talk to your employees about winter driving training by setting up a time to review your organization's expectations or standards, if applicable. It’s also a good idea to discuss winter driving safety tips and ensure everyone knows what to do in the case of an accident.
Employees can stay safe while on the road during the winter by reducing their speed, especially when it’s actively precipitating, increasing following distances, and leaving extra time to slow down.
Some of the most essential safe driving practices for employees should use during the winter include the following:
The best way to keep your employees safe during the winter is by openly communicating about your expectations. Ensure everyone knows the winter safety standards they need to follow. Likewise, check in with your employees to confirm they feel comfortable and knowledgeable about winter driving.