Learning Center

Tips for Safe Winter Driving

The Three P’s of Safe Winter Driving: prepare for the trip, protect yourself, and prevent crashes on the road.

Prepare:

• Maintain Your Car: Check battery, tire tread, and windshield wipers, keep your windows clear, put no-freeze fluid in the washer reservoir and check your antifreeze.
• Brakes: Brakes should provide even and balanced braking. Also check that brake fluid is at the proper level.
• Cooling System: Ensure a proper mixture of 50/50 antifreeze and water in the cooling system at the proper level.
• Electrical System: Check that the battery is fully charged and that connections are clean.  Check that the alternator belt is in good condition with proper tension.
• Engine: Inspect all engine systems.
• Exhaust System: Check exhaust for leaks and that all clamps and hangers are snug.
• Tires: Check for proper tread depth and no signs of damage or uneven wear. Check for proper tire inflation.
• Oil: Check that oil is at proper level.
• Visibility Systems: Inspect all exterior lights, defrosters (windshield and rear window), and wipers.  Install winter windshield wipers.

Protect Yourself:

• Buckle up and use child safety seats properly.
• Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag.
• Children 12 and under are much safer in the back seat.

Prevent Crashes:

• Drugs and alcohol never mix with driving.
• Slow down and increase distances between cars.
• Keep your eyes open for pedestrians walking in the road.
• Avoid fatigue – get plenty of rest before the trip, stop at least every three hours, and rotate drivers if possible.
• If you are planning to drink, designate a sober driver.

Snow Shoveling

While shoveling snow can be good exercise, it can also be dangerous for optimistic shovelers who take on more than they can handle.  The National Safety Council offers the following tips to help you get a handle on safe shoveling.

• Individuals over the age of 40, or those who are relatively inactive, should be especially careful.

• If you have a history of heart trouble, do not shovel without a doctor’s permission.

• Do not shovel after eating or while smoking.

• Take it slow! Shoveling (like lifting weights) can raise your heart rate and blood pressure dramatically; so pace yourself. Be sure to stretch out and warm up before taking on the task.

• Shovel only fresh snow. Freshly fallen, powdery snow is easier to shovel than the wet, packed down variety.

• Push the snow as you shovel. It’s easier on your back than lifting the snow out of the way.

• Don’t pick up too much at once. Use a small shovel, or fill only one-fourth or one-half of a large one.

• Lift with your legs bent, not your back. Keep your back straight. By bending and “sitting” into the movement, you’ll keep your spine upright and less stressed. Your shoulders, torso and thighs can do the work for you.

• Do not work to the point of exhaustion. If you run out of breath, take a break. If you feel tightness in your chest, stop immediately.

• Dress warmly. Remember that extremities, such as the nose, ears, hands and feet, need extra attention during winter’s cold. Wear a turtleneck sweater, cap, scarf, face protection, mittens, wool socks and waterproof boots.
  

Cold Stress Injuries

Winter weather is just around the corner. Cold stress or “hypothermia” can occur any time of the year. In fact, most cases of cold stress develop in air temperatures between 30 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. People who are exposed to lower temperatures are at risk for injuries ranging from frostbite to serious loss of body heat which could result in brain damage or death. Here are some tips you can use to protect yourself from cold stress injuries:

Dress warmly, in layers. Preserving an air space between the body and the outer layer of clothing will help retain body heat. Choose fabrics such as cotton or wool which insulate but also allow sweat to evaporate. It is especially important to protect the feet, hands, head and face. These parts of the body are farthest from the heart and are the hardest to keep warm. Almost half your body heat can be lost through the head, so cover it up as well.

Keep dry. Wetness greatly increases the chance of cold stress. Always have extra clothing available if there’s a chance you could get wet. Keep your feet dry, they are very susceptible to frostbite.

Take a break. You may think it’s wise to keep on working in cold temperatures. After all, working makes you break a sweat and you feel warmer. But if you become fatigued during physical activity, your body loses its ability to properly retain heat. This causes rapid cooling which can quickly lead to cold stress. When you take a break, be sure to replace lost fluids and calories by drinking warm, sweet, caffeine-free nonalcoholic drinks and soup.

Eat right. A proper diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs to withstand cold stress. A restrictive diet may deprive your body the ability to work well in cold temperatures.

Don’t work alone. In cold-stress prone environments, a buddy system should be used. Look out for one another and be alert for the symptoms of cold stress.

Learn what to look out for. The effects of cold stress may not be apparent to its victim. The first symptoms of hypothermia are uncontrollable shivering and the sensation of cold. The heartbeat slows and may become irregular, and the pulse weakens. As the condition worsens, severe shaking or rigid muscles may be evident.  The victim may also have slurred speech, memory lapses, and drowsiness. Cool skin, slow, irregular breathing, and exhaustion occur as the body temperature drops even lower. This is a serious condition requiring immediate medical attention.

Frostbite can occur without accompanying hypothermia.  Frostbite occurs when the fluids around the body’s tissues freeze. The most vulnerable parts of the body are the nose, cheeks, ears, fingers, and toes. Symptoms of frostbite include coldness and tingling in the affected part, followed by numbness; changes in skin color to white or grayish-yellow, initial pain which subsides as the condition worsens, and possibly blisters. Frostbite can cause irreversible tissue damage and requires immediate medical attention.