Common Mistakes Drivers Make In Snowy Conditions

Do you know what to do in order to drive safer in snowy road conditions? You'd be surprised to know so many drivers do the opposite of what they should do when driving in snowy conditions. Here are some of the biggest mistakes drivers on the road make when snowy weather conditions begin.

1. Thinking Your Four-wheel Drive Makes You Invincible
The biggest mistake a driver can make is to think four-wheel drive allows them to race down the road at top speeds. Remember, while it can help you get through difficult conditions it won't give you the traction you need to brake when it matters most.

2. Not Being Prepared
Many drivers find themselves caught off guard during the winter's first snow. In fact, the most dangerous day to be on the roads is the day after the first snowstorm. Drivers haven't prepared their cars for the weather, and they've probably forgotten their snow driving techniques from last year.

 To ready your car for the winter, check that each of your tires has at least a 6/32-inch (4.8-millimeter) deep tread. All-weather tires can handle most driving conditions, but if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, you should consider purchasing snow tires.

3. Following Too Closely

Many people inexperienced with driving in the snow make a bad habit out of tailing the vehicle in front of them too closely. Like driving too fast, this lessens your reaction time if there's a problem with the vehicle ahead of you and you need to slow down suddenly.
It's recommended that you double your normal distance between cars, giving yourself a minimum braking distance of six seconds. Put another way, for every 10 mph you're traveling, you should give yourself four car lengths of space.

4.  Slamming On The Brakes

When you feel your tires start to slip, it's easy to panic and slam on the brakes. Don't do that as it removes traction from your tires, taking away your ability to control your vehicle.
Once you've lost traction and your wheels are locked up, slamming your brakes won't change the situation. What you should do when you feel yourself begin to skid is ease off the accelerator and let the car slow down on its own. A moving tire means that there is still some traction, which is what you need to steer yourself out of a collision.
 

5. Driving Too Fast

Driving too fast is the biggest snow driving error. Drivers have a bad habit of thinking that once they've reached the highway they're fine to drive at their usual high speed. They couldn't be more wrong. When your car starts to slip and you're heading for a crash, every second counts. Driving too fast reduces the amount of time you have to react and increases the severity of any collision. It also takes four to 10 times longer to brake on icy or snowy pavement than it does on dry asphalt.

Snow Season Has Arrived! Enjoy These 8 Interesting Snow Facts

Winter weather means snow will be falling in many areas of the country. But, what do you really know about snow? Check out these eight interesting facts that we bet you didn't know! Know any other snow facts we may not have added? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

 1.  The world’s largest snowflake was reported to be 15 inches across and 8 inches thick. The Guinness Book of World Records states that this giant snowflake was found at Fort Keogh, Montana on January 28, 1887.

2. Snow is actually clear and colorless.
“The complex structure of snow crystals results in countless tiny surfaces from which visible light is efficiently reflected. What little sunlight is absorbed by snow is absorbed uniformly over the wavelengths of visible light thus giving snow its white appearance.” - National Snow and Ice Data Center

3.  The most snow ever recorded in a 24 hour period in the USA occurred at Silver Lake, Colorado in 1921 and was 76 inches of snow. (#2 = 63 inches was registered in Georgetown, Colorado on December 4, 1913).

4.  Mt. Baker ski area in Washington State has the world record for snowfall at 1,140 inches of snow in the 1998/1999 winter season.  Mt. Baker ski area is located near but not on the real 10,781’ Mount Baker.  You can just imagine what the snow totals were on the real Mount Baker that year…

5.  80% of all the freshwater on earth is frozen as ice or snow.  This accounts for 12% of the earth’s surface.

6.  A blizzard occurs when you can’t see for 1/4 mile. The winds are always 35 miles an hour or more. The storm must last at least 3 hours to be classed as a blizzard. If any of these conditions are less, it is only a snowstorm.

7.  The USA averages 105 snow producing storms per year.  A typical storm will have a 2-5 day lifetime and drop snow in multiple states.  This is annoying as we’d prefer it was 305 per year and lifetimes of a week or more.

8.  All snowflakes have 6 sides.

Going Somewhere This Thanksgiving? Travel Is Set To Be Up

With gas prices at a lower price than they were at last year, Thanksgiving travel is expected to be up by about 3% compared to a year ago. This great news makes us want to ask the question. Where are you planning on going for Thanksgiving this year? Will you be staying in town or driving to be with the entire family? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

To learn more about this year's travel statistics, take a look at this article from USA Today. Also, remember to stay safe and have a great time with your loved ones this Thanksgiving! There is always much to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving Travel

 

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, many have plans to travel to a family get together or to warmer destinations. But how prepared are you really for your upcoming travels? We take a look a strategies and tips that may help ensure that your travels go as smoothly as possible.

Travel Light:
As more airlines start charging for checked bags, it’s a good idea to pack light and carry on your bag. But keep in mind that your fellow travelers will all have the same idea and overhead space may be tight onboard.

Choose the Best Days:
Did you know the day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year closely followed by the Sunday after the big day? Avoid these days by flying out on Monday or Tuesday or even Thanksgiving morning to avoid the dreaded Wednesday travel rush. When you’re ready to head home, take flight on Friday when many have moved on from the airports to the shopping centers to score the best holiday deals.

Stay Up To Date On The Latest Tech Apps:
It’s commonsense to arrive at the airport early — you’ll need the time for parking, security whatever else airports have waiting for you. But you can avoid some airport hassles by taking advantage of useful applications that can be used on your smart phone. iPhone users can get updates on the airport, including maps showing the gates and restaurant information, using the GateGuru app. Airlines including Southwest, Delta and United all have mobile websites where passengers can check in, confirm seats and keep track of their flight status. Specifically on an airline like Southwest, it’s very important to check-in to your flight 24 hours prior. By doing this ASAP ensures you a better number in line to claim the seat that you desire.

Holiday Driving:
While you certainly save money and avoid some headaches traveling by land, navigating the highways presents its own set of holiday challenges. Follow the same best practices for road travel, including avoiding the highways on the Wednesday before turkey day and the following Sunday. Plan your route ahead of time and travel with a GPS system, smart phone or old-school maps to offer alternatives if you need a Plan B.

Remember though, your travels could be a stressful situation but remember to appreciate the time you’re spending with your loved ones. Have fun this Thanksgiving, be safe and plan ahead.

11 Apps You Need When Traveling

 

As the Holidays begin to approach, many have plans to travel to different locations whether it's to visit family or just to get away. The big question is, do you have the apps necessary for traveling?

With so many apps out there today, lets take a look at which 11 apps you should have when traveling according to Buzzfeed. These apps are perfect whether you're flying or driving:

1. Translator with Speech
2. Lyft
3. WhatsApp Messenger
4. LoungeBuddy
5. XE Currency
6. Rove
7. GonnaGo
8. Travel List
9. WikiHood
10. RoadNinja
11. City Maps 2Go

Is Your Vehicle Prepared For Winter?

Have you prepared your car for the winter weather that’s fast approaching? Here are some tips to make sure you are fully prepared for whatever this year’s winter weather decides to throw at you.

Regular Maintenance:

Now’s the time to get your car up to speed on all of its regular maintenance. That means taking care of any fluids that may have been neglected while you were out enjoying the summer sun or going in for that 60,000-mile tune-up if you’re due. Check, change and/or top off your oil, coolant, brakes and transmission fluid as needed. In the case of your oil or automatic transmission, make sure you get a high-quality filter, too.

When looking at your car’s brakes, check to see if your rotors are warped or cracked. Do they have deep grooves or are the pads worn close to their minimum clearance? Make sure all your lights are working properly to ensure good visibility. New bulbs are easy to install yourself or easy to have installed when getting your vehicle serviced. The same goes for windshield wipers. If your blades are more than six months old, odds are it’s time to swap them out for new ones.

Check Your Tires:

Go ahead and have your tires rotated and inspected. The last thing you need in cold, wet weather is to be driving on bald or dry rotted tires.

Consider looking into snow (or winter) tires, depending on your location or length of time you’ll be spending in the snow. Winter tires are made with special low temperature resilient rubber compounds and have deep treads that grip unploughed snow and ice.

Don’t forget to make sure your spare tire has enough air in it. Once you’ve made sure everything looks good, take a look at your tire pressure.

Maintain the Coolant System:

The most important tip is to take the time to get your car’s coolant system checked. If any part of the system comes up with a shaky bill of health, swap the parts for new ones. That means having your car’s radiator pressure tested and the hoses examined for cracks or bulges.

If you can’t remember the last time your water pump was replaced, or if your pump has more miles on it than what the manufacturer recommends, it’s time for a new one.

Stock Your Car:

Stranded by the side of the road can be dangerous in the best of conditions, but when sub-zero temperatures or bad weather is involved, it could become deadly. Carrying these supplies is essential:

- a blanket
- jumper cables
- a flashlight
- chains
- a first-aid kit
- a small knife
- flares
- water gloves
- small shovel
- waterproof matches
- ice scraper
- a bag of sand or kitty litter to help provide traction if your car is stuck in the snow

Famous Halloween Horror Villains

Halloween is always the best time to watch all your favorite horror films. In honor of Halloween fast approaching, we wanted to take a look at some of the most famous horror film villains in history. From Freddy Krueger (Nightmare On Elm Street) to Michael Myers (Halloween), these infamous villains have been appearing in films for decades. But, what do we really know about them? This infographic gives a detailed background on all of your favorite villains from past to present. What horror franchise is your favorite? Let us know!