By the time I made it to the office break room, I’d started to calm down. The hour-long drive — twice the length of my normal commute — in snow and ice hadn’t been easy, but I took comfort knowing the roads would probably only get worse as the morning went on.
It was smart to hit the road right when the snow started coming down, I thought. But at least during that particular storm, I was wrong.
A coworker who lived near me opened my eyes to my error a few hours after my morning commute. She’d arrived at the office around 11:00 a.m. since she had stayed home until the snow stopped falling.
I told her about my stressful experience and asked how her commute had been. To my surprise, she described totally clear roads and an easy drive.
That morning made me rethink my old assumptions about snow driving safety and accept that there’s no one-size-fits-all-storms approach. I’ve discovered that driving experts recommend taking a variety of factors under consideration before hitting the road on a snowy day. (They also recommend staying home if at all possible.)
Now, if I have to drive on a snowy day, I do plenty of research before I grab my car keys. Snow driving is still no fun, but these days I’m a little less embarrassed to talk about my commute in the break room.
Snow driving safety tips
Road conditions vary widely from snow storm to snow storm, so the strategy that works one day may not work the next. That’s why driving experts recommend staying on your toes and tracking weather forecasts and road reports closely.
Additionally, they recommend stocking your car with various safety items so that you’re prepared regardless of what happens on your road. For example, AAA suggests keeping warm clothes, blankets, snacks, water bottles and medications in your car during the winter.
Once your car is packed, it’s time to do a little research. Here are factors to consider when you’re trying to figure out the timing of your snow drive:
Weather forecast
This point may be obvious, but before you hit the road during a snow storm it’s important to know how much snow is expected to accumulate and over what period of time. That information is what enables you to figure out if it’s even possible for you to wait until the snow stops falling to start your drive.
Knowing the forecast is also helpful if it starts snowing when you’re already out and about. If you’re contemplating heading home early from the office, it’s good to know whether what you’re seeing out the window is a short flurry (in which case you’re probably safe to keep working) or the beginning of a big storm (in which case you may want to grab your coat and get moving).
Wind
Wind is another factor to consider as you plan a trip in snowy weather. Wind can make even light snow more dangerous, since it can cause snow from past storms to blow across the road.
Like snow totals, wind predictions are included in weather reports on sites like noaa.gov. If a snow storm won’t end until after the wind is expected to pick up, it may be best to drive while the snow is still falling.
Time of day
In general, snow driving is easier to manage during the daytime than at night, especially if road ice could become a factor. When weather forecasts show that the snow isn’t expected to stop until the evening, it’s probably best to finish your drive earlier in the day.
Road conditions
Last but not least, check road conditions before you get in the car. Even before it snows, you can figure out which websites or news stations offer road reports so that your research is easy to do on the day of the storm.
In some states, government officials help track and spread the word about road conditions on state-run websites. For example, gettingaroundIllinois.com is managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation.