Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1056266
Adam Blasburg WINTER 2018 BCA A .COM 29 Ask an Expert: Winter Driving Burnaby BCAA Road Assist Fleet Blocker John Pennie braves every kind of weather as he answers calls and gets Members on their way safely. Here, he shares his top tips on how to be a better winter driver: Q: How do you get ready for winter driving each year? I always take my Toyota 4Runner in for service at the beginning of November. I get it winterized, so they change all the fluids – the antifreeze, the windshield wiper fluid (to a winter variety) and so on. I also check the whole vehicle myself: drive shafts, tires, tire pressure, rims and anything else that could cause me problems in the wintertime. Q: What about winter tires? I'm an avid 4x4er, and my vehicle is equipped with special all-terrain tires that have excellent snow traction and a winter rating. But normal passenger vehicles, including all-wheel drive SUVs, should switch from all-seasons to proper winter tires for anything below 7°C. My son and daughter have a Mazda and a Honda, and those vehicles are each equipped with winter tires that I put on. I get them to help so they know how to do it. Q: What other precautions do you take in winter? I never head out with less than half a tank of gas. If traffic stops, or if you get stuck, you're going to get cold awfully quickly. I also carry my own emergency kit, with water and snacks, like power bars, plus a heavy-duty rain jacket, a spare set of gloves and a first aid kit with a thermal safety blanket – because it could be an hour or two before somebody can reach you. My kids and I also all carry a small collapsible shovel and a five-pound bag of salt. My son got stuck last year in a parking lot. He took out the shovel and put some salt around his tires and off he went. Q: What winter-driving mistakes do BC drivers often make? I hate to say this, but people in all-wheel drive vehicles think they can go faster and more places than other traffic. The problem is, just because you can go faster, doesn't mean you can stop faster! Another one is, when it snows, people tend to clear their windshields and hoods so they can see, but not the rest of the car. Then they're cruising down the highway and the person behind them gets a 20- pound pile of snow on the windshield – and sometimes the top layer is hard ice. Q: Any other winter-driving tips? Number-one: slow and steady. Leave time to get wherever you're going, and don't be in a hurry. ■ MEMBERS SAVE BCAA Members save on F.A.S.T. emergency kits. bcaa.com/fast BCAA Road Assist Fleet Blocker John Pennie.