DRIVING IN POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS

As you’ve undoubtedly seen, and may have been anticipating, the weather in Canada is starting to transition from warm and sunny to cold and unpredictable. In Ontario, we’ve seen rain, sun, and even a small amount of hail so far. In fact, it has rained a whopping 19 out of 30 days in October, and 5 out of 7 days so far in November. This weather creates unpredictable, and sometimes very poor driving conditions. As a transportation company, everyone here at Erb Transport understands the seriousness and importance of safe driving, especially during seasons with unfavourable driving conditions. We encourage every single one of our drivers to follow all driving precautions and take proactive measures to ensure the roads remain safe and accident free.

To make sure we keep our roads safe this season, follow these tips:

• Winterize your car. This is a proactive way to ensure you’re ready for anything while on the roads. This can include getting winter tires, ensuring you have an ice scraper, having a full phone battery to call for help, and keeping your gas tank full.
• Watch for large vehicles such as transport trucks or trailers. These vehicles are more susceptible to strong winds and could potentially have a difficult time staying in their lanes. After all, yesterday’s 90km/hr wind conditions were not expected.
• When acceptable: turn your lights on.
• Fix your posture and keep both hands on the wheel. Focusing on your driving is necessary at all times, but especially during poor driving conditions. Make sure you’re alert, aware, and in control of your car at all times.
• Beware of hydroplaning or black ice. Both rain and snow can cause your car to slip out of control, so make sure to stay alert and drive slowly when necessary. Almost 50,000 accidents per year occur due to precipitation!

Living in Canada means that we are fairly well-adjusted to extreme weather conditions. Remember, however, that not everyone on the road is an experienced driver. There are those who just recently attained their licence, those who aren’t comfortable on highways, and those who may just make a simple mistake. As long as you’re paying attention, avoiding an accident is much more likely.

Ensuring our truck drivers, as well as residential drivers, stay safe on the roads is our highest priority. Let’s keep the roads safe this year and prepare for the winter weather before it comes. Being proactive could be our biggest strength!