Winter and low visibility driving basics from ODOT
By Garrett Christensen on Monday, October 30th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
OREGON – Oregon may only be in fall, but winterlike conditions can still crop up with temperature drops, especially at night. With frost and ice beginning to settle on the roads and snow and fog forming in the mountains, driving is becoming increasingly hazardous as the season goes on. For those that may need a reminder on proper procedure for driving in icy, snowy, or low visibility conditions, the Oregon Department of Transportation offers the following tips and recommendations:
Driving in icy conditions:
- Turn off cruise control.
- Adjust speed to match conditions. Roads covered in ice, standing water or fresh snow will have differing degrees of traction.
- If you feel your vehicle lose control or have a “floating” sensation, gradually slow down and tap the brakes. Do not panic and slam on the breaks.
- Watch for ice or packed snow when changing elevation or passing through shaded corners.
- Check for signs of ice on road signs, trees, fences, or even your car’s wipers and mirrors. Ice accumulation on these objects likely indicates ice on the road.
- Remember that standard snow tires are designed for traction on snow and will not be as useful on ice.
- Watch for black ice:
- Black ice is a thin layer of ice that appears transparent with the road’s surface.
- Black ice can give the visual illusion of standing water.
- Prepare for stopping distances to be several times greater on black ice, even with chains.
- Black ice is most common at night and in the early morning during the lowest temperatures.
- Black ice can appear in shaded areas even during the day.
- Black ice can persist even when the air temperature is above freezing.
Driving in snowy conditions:
- Check road conditions ahead of time.
- Account for additional travel time when planning. Conditions may mandate slower speeds.
- Allow for extra stopping distance. Packed snow and ice will limit traction.
- Carry tire chains and learn how to use them.
- Inspect your vehicle ahead of time and make sure it is winterized.
- Slow down when approaching areas where snow may persist longer, such as off ramps, bridges, and shady spots along the road.
- Keep your headlights on to increase visibility.
- Prepare for delays by packing supplies such as water, blankets, and extra fuel.
- Do not hesitate to pull over and stop if you feel tired or road conditions become too dangerous.
- Avoid driving through snow drifts if possible.
- Give ample distance when following snowplows or large vehicles as blowing, powdered snow can limit visibility.
Driving in low visibility conditions:
- Slow Down. According to ODOT, “’driving too fast for conditions’ shows up in the top five most common reasons for crashes.”
- Use low beam headlights. High beams can limit visibility due to dispersing in fog, snow, and heavy rain.
- Turn on your rear fog lamps if your vehicle has them equipped.
- If you encounter a sudden and extreme loss of visibility:
- Pull off the road as far as possible as soon as it is safe to do so.
- Turn off your lights.
- Set your emergency break.
- Let your foot off the break.
- Turn on your emergency flashers.
- If unable to pull over during a loss of visibility:
- Slow down.
- Turn on your low beam headlights.
- Periodically sound the horn.
- Use the white fog line or roadside reflectors for guidance.
- Never stop in the lanes of travel.
For more information on winter travel safety, visit https://www.oregon.gov/odot/pages/winter-driving.aspx
Current information on road closures can be found at https://tripcheck.com/
