Safe Winter Travel 101

New To Wyoming, South Dakota, Or Montana? Listen Up!

The southeast part of Wyoming is one of the most dangerous places to drive in the country. I-80 has winds and ice contending for the most dangerous threat, and teaming up in the wintertime to knock travelers, semi-trucks, and tired people all the way off the road. There are a lot of fatalities in that area of Wyoming. 

Beyond the southeast, though, this entire region of the country is exceptionally dangerous. Even if the wind is low and the snow is light, you could be driving in extreme danger. Here we’ll go over a few basic winter driving tips to help you stay safe out there. 

1. Clear Windows, Keep An Ice Scraper In The Vehicle

Often overnight, if you’re parked outside, snow or ice will build up on your windows. If you’re not prepared for this, you’ll have some scraping to do. If you’re not careful, you won’t leave yourself enough visibility to drive safely. Keep a good scraper under the front seat and expect you’ll have to scrape the windows a few times over the winter. 

2. Snow Tires And 4WD

Snow tires and studded tires give you more traction, and can assure your vehicle is at its most reliable during the harsh winter months. If you can acquire a 4WD (Four Wheel Drive) vehicle, that’s wise. If you can’t, then assure you’ve got traction-rich tires on your vehicle. 

3. Practice “Donuts” Or “Cookies”

This one’s fun. Look, if you’re going to maintain vehicular control in the midst of slick conditions, you need to know what it feels like when you’re out of control. Go into an empty parking lot and spin some “donuts” or “cookies”, where you speed up a little and suddenly cut the wheel on the ice so the vehicle spins around. Get a mentor if you’ve never done this. 

Also, it’s wise to verify you’re allowed to spin cookies in a given parking lot, or somebody’s likely going to call the cops on you. Even so, spinning “cookies” is very wise if you’re going to stay safe on icy roads. Just be careful; you don’t want to wreck your car practicing. Learn how to spin cookies, and you’ll be better able to keep your head when you hit a slick spot and lose control. 

4. Don’t Get In A hurry, Take Your Time

When it’s slick out, never hurry. Drive slow and strategically, as defensively as you possibly can. Totally stopping when it’s icy can get you stuck in a low-traction car. Going too fast can put you in a position where you can’t stop in time, and you have a wreck. When weather is bad, go slow, and think things out. 

5. Try To Avoid Night Driving If You Can

It’s harder to see, it’s colder, and there are drunks out during the night. When weather is bad in Wyoming or another state that has harsh winters, try to avoid night driving if it’s possible for you to do so. 

6. Keep An Emergency Kit In Your Vehicle

Sometimes you’ve got to travel between municipalities in the cold, and there can be miles between where you live, and where you need to be. Have an emergency kit with warm clothes or a blanket, flares, water, and food. You can sometimes buy these prepacked at department stores. 

7. Maintain Sobriety

This ought to be a given, but for many people it’s not. You should always drive sober if at all possible. There will definitely be drunks on the road even in winter. If you’ve had a few, then don’t drive; especially in winter. 

Keeping Safe Even In Harsh Conditions 

Wyoming has some downright crazy roads, and you need to be safe on them during the winter. Use common sense, prepare for the worst case scenario, stay sober, and practice defensive driving measures like spinning cookies in a safe environment. For more tips about driving in Wyoming, be sure to explore our blog at Anybody’s Autos!