Thu, 12/31/2015 - 11:00am

AAA Norrthern New England

AAA reminds motorists to be prepared for winter. “We are urging travelers to be cautious about their safety and the safety of everyone sharing the roadways,” Pat Moody, manager of public affairs for AAA Northern New England, said ahead of a Dec. 29 storm.

Many problems can be avoided by being prepared for the conditions and modifying driving behavior.

“If you don’t have to venture out, then avoid travel until after the roads have been treated. Motorists should allow extra time to get to their destination, increase their following distance and slow down. If it is not safe to travel and you don’t need to venture out, don’t drive. Wait until road conditions improve,” Moody said.

Roadside breakdowns are largely avoidable with preventive maintenance, however AAA research found that more than one third of Americans skip or delay vehicle service or repair, leaving their vehicles more vulnerable to roadside trouble. In 2014, the majority of AAA roadside assistance calls were due to battery‐related issues, flat tires and keys locked inside the vehicle.

Preparing your vehicle for snow can help prevent becoming stranded in winter weather. AAA recommends that motorists accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads. In other tips:

Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning — nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.

Increase following distances. The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.

Know your brakes. Whether you have anti-lock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold braking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.

Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.

Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads may only result in spinning your wheels. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill as slowly as possible.

Don’t stop going up a hill. It’s difficult to move up a hill on an icy road. If possible, get your vehicle moving on a flat roadway first before taking on a hill.