Winter Storms and the Novice Driver
Getting behind the wheel for the first time on a wintery day can be nerve-wracking, even for an otherwise “invincible” teenager. A novice driver’s first on-the-road experience with winter weather driving should not be during a major storm. It’s better to wait until conditions are less severe.
With the potential for schools to dismiss early on Thursday due to the impending winter storm, reminding your teen driver of these tips in advance may increase their ability to get back home safely in the early stages of the storm.
If your teen must drive during winter weather, remind them of the basics.
• Give ’em some room: Explain to the young driver the importance of maintaining adequate space between vehicles, demonstrating in a safe location the difference in stopping distances on dry pavement and slick roads.
• See and be seen: Before starting out on the road, make sure the vehicle’s windows, headlights and taillights are cleared of ice and snow.
• Be prepared: Always be prepared when traveling during the winter by carrying a winter survival kit in the vehicle. View the Iowa DOT’s winter preparedness video on YouTube with your novice driver at http://www.youtube.com/iowadot.
• Check on road conditions: Visit http://511ia.org/to discover all of the ways in which travel information is available via the Web, social media, phone and your mobile device (but never while driving).