Staff Writer

Snow, wind, ice and below zero degree weather; what are the driving highschoolers of our time
to do? In actuality, there are many various things that you can do to increase the safety factor
while you are driving. You can never guarantee an one hundred percent accident free drive, but
we can come as close to it as we are able to.
 
Having a safety kit filled with extra clothing, blankets, emergency tools and non-perishable food
is always a great route to take. Preparing for winter is a big part of the process, so make sure
you are comfortable in driving that vehicle, and that it is equipped with good tires. Maintaining a
clean windshield is also a must, in order to have a clear view of your surroundings while driving.
Another tip is to be a careful driver, not only for yourself, but for those other drivers who are
driving as well.
 
Warming up your vehicle beforehand also has helps in assisting a better drive, for when the
vehicles is properly lubricated and the oil has warmed up, then your brakes and other functions
tend to work better. Avoid flashing your headlights at an animal you may come across while
driving in the winter. The deer or any other mammal has already spotted your headlights, and
will most likely shy away on instinct. If you proceed to flash your brights, then the deer may see
a larger shadow of itself and become terrified. An animal will always run from something larger
than themself, and may very well run into your vehicle.
 
How is driving in snow dangerouse at all? Just because you deem yourself worthy enough to
take control of the wheel, it does not mean that nothing will happen. Here’s a little insight to one
driver’s opinion.
 
“I do not like driving in snow.” Thirty-seven year old Salvador Luevano said. “The fact that it’s
slippery, and [there’s] a possible chance of getting stuck in the snow. Then the other thing is, other
people who drive carelessly in the snow, also cause a danger.” Luevano said.
 
Salvador Luevano, a driver of twenty years, sheds some light on what he deems as his most
traumatic driving experience.
 
“I was driving in Maine to work and it was one of the first few times it was icy, snowy, and there
was this hill. It was a very steep road, and at the end of the road was a curve, so it’s like going
down a sled with a curve at the bottom. I had to drive so slow, all I did was put it in neutral and
kept my foot on the break continuously letting off the break, little by little, kinda inching my way
down to the end and then driving. That was probably the most scariest thing I’ve ever had to
experience.” Luevano said.
 
He gives a few tips on how he would handle a highly probable scenario, which would include an icy
road, a red light, oncoming traffic, and a vehicle that is at a standstill before you.
 
“I would start applying the brake slowly, tapping the brake trying to get it to stop. I’d probably
attempt to put it in neutral, to stop the acceleration. But if I was going way too fast, and had no
other choice, I would look on my blind spot on either my left or right and try to drive decently into
the next lane to give me a little more room to stop. Either scenario, hopefully you can stop
before hitting the car and try to turn. That’s also a risk to, because turning too sharply could
actually slide into the vehicle as well.” Luevano said.

He has lived through a majority of taxing weather conditions, and it mostly occurred while driving
his ’89 Concord from his past hometown of Wallagrass, Maine to his job that was located forty-
five minutes away in Portland, Maine. Blizzards, he confirms, are the most dangerous scenarios
to be driving in. All you can do is drive safely, and avoid using cruise control while driving.

“In Maine we were able to use what they called studded tires. It has little metal studs in them,
throughout the tire, to grip the ice better. That was one precaution we used, or we used chains,
where people put chains on their tires that also gave them good grip in situations that they
needed it most. Those really helped while driving.”
 
You could also use the back roads that are less traffic-heavy, only if you consider that route to
be safe enough for you to drive through. Shortcuts are a plus while driving in Maine, but a bit
more risky than any of Nebraska’s.
 
“They were dangerous shortcuts, because they were frozen lakes.” Luevano said.