Winter Driving Safety Tips

As you’re getting out your winter jackets and boots and starting to think about the holidays, it’s the perfect time to prepare your fleet for what’s in store during the coldest months of the year. Driving in winter is already stressful, and dark nights and inclement weather make for more treacherous roads, while lower temperatures can impede peak fuel efficiency and cause extra maintenance issues for your vehicles.

Here are just a few reasons driving in winter can be particularly hard on fleet-based businesses:1

• On average there are more than 6 million vehicle crashes each year and 12% or 745,000 are caused by the weather.
• Of those weather-related crashes, 18% occur during snow, sleet, hail or freezing rain.
• Those crashes kill more than 400 people each year and injure more than 34,200. 
• In winter weather, lane obstructions and road closures reduce capacity, and speeds drop 30%-40% in snowy and slushy pavement, reducing traffic volumes by 15%-30%. 
• 23% of non-regular traffic delays are caused by snow, ice and fog.

While winter weather can hinder productivity and increase risks on the road and on the job, being proactive is a fleet’s best defense. Here are some of our best winter driving safety tips.

Stay ahead of vehicle maintenance all year round

Start by keeping your vehicles in good shape. Monitoring the health of your vehicles is always critical, especially during the winter months. Make sure to keep an eye on any active diagnostic trouble-code (DTC) alerts, including engine functions like:

• Battery voltage
• Coolant temperature
• Powertrain malfunctions
• Intake-valve issues
• Oxygen-sensor problems

This data can help get vehicles into service before a major repair is needed or a breakdown occurs — which can be a very dangerous situation during the winter.

It’s important to find the right preventative maintenance schedule that works for your fleet. Miles traveled, engine hours, fuel usage and calendar time are the typical guides. If you also track the number of breakdowns, jumpstarts, tows and emergency repairs, you might see patterns that require adjustments to your maintenance schedule. For fleets with a lot of vehicles operating over a wide area, tracking service records using fleet management software can provide more effective control and efficiency – and even cut costs.

Still doing manual maintenance management? Fleet management solutions can make it easier and faster to make sure maintenance gets done right. See how.

Help keep your drivers safe in winter conditions

Telematics also allows you to examine your drivers’ winter driving performance, so you can offer important feedback and coach safe driving habits.

Winter driving requires increased caution. Remind fleet drivers to reduce speed and maintain a safe following distance. Quick acceleration and harsh cornering should be avoided. If a vehicle begins to slide on black ice or snowy roads, drivers must remember to steer into the skid. Extra caution is also necessary on winding mountain roads and bridges, as these tend to freeze first.

Reinforcing the importance of eliminating distracted driving is crucial for driver safety, the safety of others, and protecting your company's reputation and bottom line. Discussing these safety topics regularly helps embed them into the company culture.

In-cab video integrated into your telematics solution is especially useful for a holistic picture of driving events. With optional dual view of the driver and the road, this video evidence can be used in the event of a serious driver infraction, aid in accident investigations and help determine liability.

Want more tips for winter driving for truck drivers? We’ve got a list here.

Build your fleet’s winter checklist

Need something tangible to support all these safe driving tips in winter? A handy winter checklist for your managers and drivers can go a long way to prioritizing winter safety. This can be kept in the glove compartment and referred to whenever temperatures drop.

Your checklist should include instructions on how to:

1. Check headlights and wiper blades before every journey: Make sure to also clean excess snow and ice from vehicle exterior before setting off.
2. Check all fluids and top up if necessary: Remind drivers to check everything from oil to coolant before setting off.
3. Think outside the box when it comes to antifreeze: In addition to checking antifreeze levels, you should also make sure every vehicle is equipped with deicer and a windscreen scraper to aid visibility and avoid any delays before setting off. A quick spray of WD-40 into vehicle locks can help prevent them from freezing, while a layer of petroleum jelly can be used to thaw any ice that has made its way inside the mechanism.
4. Pack an emergency kit: Instruct your drivers to pack an emergency kit in case they run into trouble when out on the road. Kits should include everything they’ll need to stay safe, warm and comfortable until assistance arrives. So, stock up on blankets, flashlights, tow straps, food supplies and handy extras like hand warmers.
5. Check batteries: Cold weather can reduce battery performance, so make sure drivers keep an eye on charge levels and check the cables and terminals for signs of additional wear and tear.
6. Check tire pressure and tread depth: As the only part of your vehicles in contact with the road, it’s vital that they remain in tip-top condition—particularly in wet and icy conditions. For extra peace of mind, consider investing in winter tires when the temperatures drop. Thanks to a thicker compound and specialist tread pattern, winter tires increase grip and improve braking performance in snow and ice.

Your winter checklist should also include instructions detailing what to do in the event of a breakdown as well as a list of emergency contacts.

Don’t leave your drivers and vehicles stranded out in the cold. Comprehensive roadside assistance for fleets gets help there safely, faster.

Don’t let your fleet get caught out in the cold this winter

With a little extra preparation, you can help keep your drivers safe, warm and moving this winter. A fleet management solution can help keep your vehicles in peak condition and prioritize your drivers’ safety.

See how fleet management can help protect your vehicles and drivers during the winter with a short demo. 

1 https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/roadimpact.htm