As winter approaches, the occupational safety and health team wants to remind you to drive safe. Here are a few tips to prepare yourself this winter:

Prepare Your Vehicle

Driving in winter weather, snow, and ice creates a challenge for vehicles and drivers. Since there are a variety of hazards you could encounter while driving for work in the winter, you want to be well-prepared to deal with the unexpected.

• Every vehicle should have a well-stocked winter driving k​it
• Keep the gas tank full
• Keep your vehicle in good repair
• Before the first snowfall or when temperatures drop below 7 degrees Celsius, change over to winter tires

​​Preparing to Drive

Before you leave on your journey, plan your winter driving in advance, and take the time to make sure you and your vehicle are ready.

• Check that your tires are in good condition and your lights are working.
• Check weather conditions and plan your route before you begin driving.
• Inform someone of your route and planned arrival time.
• Avoid driving if you’re fatigued.
• Warm your vehicle before driving. It helps prevent moisture from condensing on the inside of the windows.
• Never warm your vehicle in a closed garage.
• Remove all snow or ice from your vehicle.
• Always wear a seatbelt. It’s designed to prevent injury in case of a collision or sudden change in movement or motion.
• Don’t forget to bring a cell phone; however, don’t leave it in your vehicle. The battery will freeze and it won’t be usable.​

Keys to Safe Driving

These keys to safe driving for work will help keep you safe in the winter months:

• It’s important to use your vehicle lights properly: for many of us, it’s dark when we are driving for work in the early morning and going home at the end of a work day.
• Avoid harsh accelerations and sudden stops to avoid slipping or spinning your tires and potentially losing control of your vehicle.
• Avoid using cruise control
• Leave more distance between you and the driver ahead of you. It’s best to use the 3-4 second rule in the city or the 6-second rule on highways in ideal conditions, which helps you maintain a safe following distance, especially in the winter. When the conditions are poor, leave more space and increase your following distance.
• Remember that posted speed limits are for ideal conditions only. Higher speeds make controlling your vehicle much more difficult.

Emergency Kits

Store the contents in a sturdy, waterproof container or a zippered gear bag for protection. Inspect kits every six months to confirm all the contents are there and check expiry dates on any perishable items to ensure they are still good to use.

Basic Vehicle Emergency Kit:

• high-visibility garment: vest, shirt or jacket with hi-vis trim
• reflective safety triangles or cones
• flashlight with extra batteries
• Basic First Aid Kit
• fire extinguisher
• booster cables
• survival blanket
• whistle
• HELP/OK sign
• warm clothing – hat and gloves
• bottled water
• small gasoline container
• non-perishable high-energy foods ( e.g., trail mix, granola bars)

Additional Contents for Winter or Remote Conditions:

• windshield scraper and snow brush
• gas line antifreeze, windshield de-icer
• candles, waterproof matches and tin for candle
• sand, kitty litter or traction mats
• tire chains
• maps/GPS system
• shovel
• tow strap
• sleeping bag/warm blankets
• winter clothing – gloves, toque, jacket, socks, slush pants
• wheel chocks, extra spare tire
• tools: tire wrench, screw drivers, adjustable wrench, pliers, multifunction knife