7 winter driving cautions

By Mark Sedenquist

Travel columnist

updated 11:13 a.m. ET Jan. 25, 2007

Mark Sedenquist Travel columnist • Profile • E-mail

Winter has arrived, and it’s a good idea to remember that even otherwise balmy locales like southern California and Florida can experience freezing weather. If you’re contemplating a road trip during the frosty months, here are some lesser-known tips for keeping the journey smooth.

Carry a tarp
When traveling in regions where snow and ice are a possibility, save some room for a waterproof tarp. Smart folks always use such a tarp when kneeling on the ground to make a quick auto repair or to put on chains. One less-than-balmy February morning in Indiana, I was lying on my back underneath my truck in icy snow while repairing a holding tank. I was using a propane torch to warm a frozen water line when I made the interesting discovery that the melting snow had formed a shallow puddle underneath my parka. No worries. I was still quite warm and toasty. Then I attempted to roll over. Oh, no! I was frozen in place by the rapidly forming ice, and I couldn’t even reach my jacket zipper. Passing pedestrians found this quite entertaining, but eventually someone stopped laughing long enough to use the torch and a hammer to chisel me out. The memory lingers, and these days I carry a tarp even when there’s no snow in the forecast.

Carry a spare key
Modern cars and trucks have certain security enhancements that can sometimes out-think mere humans. Many vehicles are designed to lock all the doors within a minute or two when the engine is running. So, if you get out of a warm car to put on tire chains, slip a spare key into your pocket, or else you may find your plan to thaw out in your nice, toasty car has been replaced by a bone-chilling lockout.

Wash, wash, wash
Wintertime travel usually means dirty road conditions, and your car’s windshield is going to show it. If you have faithfully put together your “Go Kit,” you will have topped up your windshield washer’s reservoir with cold-weather washer fluid (rated to minus 40 C) and you will have packed an extra jug of washer fluid for the trip. That’s all good, but before the weather dips below freezing, be sure to run the window washers for two or three minutes. Otherwise, the remainder of the summer solution may still be in the line, and it will freeze solid. You won’t be able to use that fancy wiper-mounted spray system until spring thaw.

Turn off the wipers
Speaking of wipers, when you go to park the car for the night or at the ski area, remember to turn them off — and make sure they are fully retracted — before shutting off the engine. No windshield wiper motor is powerful enough to unstick a wiper that has frozen to the windshield. The motor will burn up trying, and you’ll find yourself without wipers in a snowstorm.

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