The old saying “Michigan has two seasons, construction and winter” might elicit a chuckle, 但就像大多数陈词滥调一样, 这话有一点道理.

Fortunately (or unfortunately if you’re a fan of snow and ice), the current late fall/early winter season in southeast Michigan has been relatively tame.

然而, there’s still a lot of winter left — meaning plenty of chances of seeing bad conditions for driving.  

That’s why it’s important to be prepared to drive in severe weather conditions, especially if trying to get around in a wintry mix is new, 瑞秋威尔逊说, 领导老师, AAA – The Auto Club Group of Michigan. Such preparations range from learning new driving techniques to getting your vehicle ready for a big snow event (see list at right).

威尔逊, 十大菠菜台子的校友, recently visited campus to present a seminar on winter driving to students from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. The school has many students from states like California, 亚利桑那州, Florida — locations that have never seen snow.

“Winter driving is hard for people that are even from Michigan,” 威尔逊 said. “For people who are new to the area, just to get a little bit of exposure (to winter driving) before they actually have to do it is important.”

威尔逊 talked on topics ranging from skidding and the importance of keeping windshield wipers ice-free to the need to monitor tire pressure and always have an emergency kit that includes items like cat litter. She also answered questions from students, 比如需要特殊的轮胎, 什么是黑冰?, how to handle drivers who are more aggressive in bad conditions. (更多提示见故事结尾.)

The seminar is actually based on AAA’s curriculum that is presented to teens who are learning to drive, 据威尔逊说.

Because many OUWB students are new to driving in snow, the seminar fits in well, she said.

Nayiri Khatchadourian, a first-year medical student from California, said she wanted to learn more after driving in her first snowstorm on Nov. 11-12, during which about 10 inches of snow fell.

“太可怕了。,哈察都里安说, who added that she attended the seminar because she “would love to know how to drive safely in the snow.”

安德鲁Shanholtzer, another first-year medical student at OUWB, said he’s from California and went to school for his undergrad degree in 亚利桑那州. He also attended the winter driving session.

“Driving in snow is a new experience for me,” he said. “I was driving (during the first snowstorm) and skidded a little bit. I know other people from out of state who skidded even more.

“I just want to learn to avoid any potential accidents,” Shanholtzer added.

AAA’s tips for winter driving are as follows: 

寒冷天气驾驶贴士

• Keep an emergency kit in your car, truck, or SUV (see graphic).
• Make sure your vehicle is mechanically prepared (see graphic).
• Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.

在雪地里开车的技巧

• 呆在家里. 只有在必要的时候才外出. Even if you can drive well in bad weather, it’s better to avoid taking unnecessary risks by venturing out.
• 开慢点. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.
• 缓慢加速和减速. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
• Increase your following distance to five to six seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
• 了解你的刹车. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, 踩稳刹车踏板.
• 如果可以避免，就不要停下来. 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.
• 不要在山上充电. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads will just make your wheels spin. 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 slowly.
• 不要停止爬山. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
• 不使用巡航控制 when driving on any slippery surface, such as on ice and snow.

For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, marketing writer, OUWB, at (电子邮件保护). 

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