How to Stay Safe During a Blizzard: Sympathy for the Truck Drivers
My thoughts on commercial and car drivers and staying safe during a blizzard…
Okay, my husband was stuck in the Baltimore, Maryland/ Washington D.C blizzard last week. From my understanding it snowed like crazy and the cars had no sympathy for all of the trucks that were trying there best to make it up the hills while stopping and going while cars went in and out of traffic. First of all let me make it clear that I'm not taking sides here. I'm just bringing awareness to how to stay safe during a blizzard driving home from work.
For those of you who don’t know…
Driving in a blizzard is scary even under the best of circumstances. Semi- Trucks are different from cars they have a long trailer behind them that slips and slides when trying to pull up a hill or drive on icy roads.
The lesson I want to make you aware of is how to avoid a spinout.
I wish I could just say stay inside and off the roads. Although this sounds like a no-brainer, but it's one of the most important aspects of staying safe in a blizzard. However, many people have no choice but to drive in blizzard if they have to commute for work or pick up last minute supplies. Therefore bringing awareness to how driving can become dangerous is very important. With so many large pile-ups in the news lately and with the extreme weather we seem to be having, it’s important to know how to drive in all sorts of weather conditions.
The three main bad weather conditions are:
Condition One: Rain
While driving in rain may not seem all that dangerous, the unfortunate truth is that traffic fatalities increase during poor weather conditions. Not only does rain create a more slick surface, but it also decreases visibility. Wet roadways are typically the most dangerous right after a rain begins because the rain will mix with oil, gas, and other vehicle fluids on the roadway surface. So be conscious when driving in the rain.
Condition Two: Driving at Night
Driving during the daylight hours can be dangerous, but driving at night is the most dangerous time to drive. While there are fewer vehicles on the road, visibility is greatly reduced and the number of intoxicated or fatigued drivers on the roadways increases almost 10 fold. Sure, you may be a safe driver, even at night, but you can’t control the drivers around you. That’s why it is crucially important to take extra precautions and always plan for the unexpected by staying conscious while driving at night. Drunk drivers and fatigued drivers are very unpredictable.
Condition Three: Driving in a Blizzard
During a heavy snow storm it's hard for others to see. Even when the storm is over, the slippery streets still present serious safety hazards and visibility issues. Just because your car has all-wheel drive or even four-wheel drive doesn’t mean you’re immune to black ice or a slushy lane on the freeway. Yes, they are more helpful than having front-wheel drive, but they won’t help you any when it comes to stopping and steering.
With that said! Car drivers stop and think for a minute. If it’s pouring down snowing or raining is it safe for you or fair to other drivers to drive in and out of cars?
In addition please try not to tailgate. Make sure to leave enough following space between you and the cars around you. Your car is going to stop much more slowly than it would otherwise, and slamming on the brakes in icy conditions can cause the car to fishtail. Some of the most horrific accidents occur during icy driving conditions. This is because many times, the ice is invisible to the human eye. This type of ice is called “black ice” and despite the name, this ice is totally transparent. Driving on ice is nothing to play around with. Just hang back a little, okay?
The bottomline is think of others while driving! I know many of you are rolling your eyes and saying why in the hell is she talking to me like a first grader. I know what bad weather conditions mean. Yes, I know this. But living in Atlanta you would think people would know how to drive in the rain and snow. But it's so funny how when and rain and snow some people act like they have forgotten what to do in bad weather conditions. They freeze up and drive crazy for some reason. So I can relate to how the truckers feel when driving up state in the blizzard. The thing is you aren’t going to get to your destination any quicker by dodging in and out of traffic or following closely.
I expressed my views on this because I think truck drivers deserve more respect and appreciation because without their hard work, dedication and sometime sacrifice in sleep we wouldn’t have any products or daily living essential to buy or sell to make it through our day to day lives. They make it happen by transporting fright from one point to another everyday, good or bad whether.
Commercial Driving professionals still have people waiting at home, worrying about them. Blizzards are no joke, and even truck drivers have to worry about things like black ice and inexperienced drivers. If truck drivers take blizzard conditions seriously, so should you.
So, with that said, please practice safe driving everyone. So we all can get home safely. May God bless you all and your families!
Okay, my husband was stuck in the Baltimore, Maryland/ Washington D.C blizzard last week. From my understanding it snowed like crazy and the cars had no sympathy for all of the trucks that were trying there best to make it up the hills while stopping and going while cars went in and out of traffic. First of all let me make it clear that I'm not taking sides here. I'm just bringing awareness to how to stay safe during a blizzard driving home from work.
For those of you who don’t know…
Driving in a blizzard is scary even under the best of circumstances. Semi- Trucks are different from cars they have a long trailer behind them that slips and slides when trying to pull up a hill or drive on icy roads.
The lesson I want to make you aware of is how to avoid a spinout.
I wish I could just say stay inside and off the roads. Although this sounds like a no-brainer, but it's one of the most important aspects of staying safe in a blizzard. However, many people have no choice but to drive in blizzard if they have to commute for work or pick up last minute supplies. Therefore bringing awareness to how driving can become dangerous is very important. With so many large pile-ups in the news lately and with the extreme weather we seem to be having, it’s important to know how to drive in all sorts of weather conditions.
The three main bad weather conditions are:
Condition One: Rain
While driving in rain may not seem all that dangerous, the unfortunate truth is that traffic fatalities increase during poor weather conditions. Not only does rain create a more slick surface, but it also decreases visibility. Wet roadways are typically the most dangerous right after a rain begins because the rain will mix with oil, gas, and other vehicle fluids on the roadway surface. So be conscious when driving in the rain.
Condition Two: Driving at Night
Driving during the daylight hours can be dangerous, but driving at night is the most dangerous time to drive. While there are fewer vehicles on the road, visibility is greatly reduced and the number of intoxicated or fatigued drivers on the roadways increases almost 10 fold. Sure, you may be a safe driver, even at night, but you can’t control the drivers around you. That’s why it is crucially important to take extra precautions and always plan for the unexpected by staying conscious while driving at night. Drunk drivers and fatigued drivers are very unpredictable.
Condition Three: Driving in a Blizzard
During a heavy snow storm it's hard for others to see. Even when the storm is over, the slippery streets still present serious safety hazards and visibility issues. Just because your car has all-wheel drive or even four-wheel drive doesn’t mean you’re immune to black ice or a slushy lane on the freeway. Yes, they are more helpful than having front-wheel drive, but they won’t help you any when it comes to stopping and steering.
With that said! Car drivers stop and think for a minute. If it’s pouring down snowing or raining is it safe for you or fair to other drivers to drive in and out of cars?
In addition please try not to tailgate. Make sure to leave enough following space between you and the cars around you. Your car is going to stop much more slowly than it would otherwise, and slamming on the brakes in icy conditions can cause the car to fishtail. Some of the most horrific accidents occur during icy driving conditions. This is because many times, the ice is invisible to the human eye. This type of ice is called “black ice” and despite the name, this ice is totally transparent. Driving on ice is nothing to play around with. Just hang back a little, okay?
I expressed my views on this because I think truck drivers deserve more respect and appreciation because without their hard work, dedication and sometime sacrifice in sleep we wouldn’t have any products or daily living essential to buy or sell to make it through our day to day lives. They make it happen by transporting fright from one point to another everyday, good or bad whether.
Commercial Driving professionals still have people waiting at home, worrying about them. Blizzards are no joke, and even truck drivers have to worry about things like black ice and inexperienced drivers. If truck drivers take blizzard conditions seriously, so should you.
So, with that said, please practice safe driving everyone. So we all can get home safely. May God bless you all and your families!
“Surviving the loss of a love one is one of life’s hardest trails. But doing all you can to keep safe and use common sense is priceless.”
Be Inspired!!!
Warrior Chic
XOXO
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Are you unsure about what decisions to make? Or you need assistant or just want to have a conversation about getting healthy and eating clean email me for a friendly chat. I would love to have a conversation about eating healthy or just living as a trucker wife. warriorchiclifestyle@yahoo.com