Whoa – it sure can get slippery out there with winter driving: Collision expert offers tips on safer seasonal driving

“It doesn’t look that bad, it wasn’t the guy’s fault but it’s $3,600,” said Tony Licocci, with McHenry MAACO Collision Repair & Auto Painting, as he looked over a vehicle that recently came into his shop for season repairs.

In the auto body industry, seasonal repairs represent those that are caused by weather conditions. In this case, the $3,600 bill is the result of icy conditions the car owner was driving through while trying to get home.

“It just happens that fast,” Licocci said.

Winter, particularly in the Northern regions, presents several potential obstacles to safe driving. First among these are icy roads. Licocci said the best thing to do is to slowdown. He added that 4-wheel drive doesn’t help a bit on ice.

“And you have to watch out for the guy in front of you who is fishtailing,” Licocci said. “Next thing you know, he’s going to wipe out. If you’re on ice and can’t stop, you’re going to hit him.

Licocci said that, when the backend of your vehicle slides out you need to counter steer. This doesn’t happen as often today as it once did as so many cars have front-wheel drive today. However, when it does happen it often happens when braking.

Another difference between driving today and years ago is that newer cars usually come equipped with anti-lock brakes today. Anti-lock brakes pulse automatically when you hit the brakes hard. With older cars, drivers needed to pump the brakes when the car began sliding on ice. That’s not helpful with newer cars that have anti-lock brakes.

Another winter driving hazard is caused by snowy roads. Licocci said drivers should try to stay out of deep drifts where they can become stuck or, worse yet, lose control.

“Try not to change lanes too often,” he said. “Follow in the ruts other cars have created.”

If someone does become stuck, he recommends trying to rock the car free with the accelerator or by shifting from drive to reverse. A word of caution here is that too much rocking can have an adverse affect on the transmission. Denny Norton, with Performance Unlimited, can attest to that fact based on the number of transmissions he’s replaced over the years.

Another and potentially more dangerous winter driving condition is called black ice – ice that is not visible on the road but can still throw your vehicle out of control.

“The thing with black ice is, usually, you don’t know it’s there until you’re on it,” Licocci said. “That’s the worst kind (of winter driving condition) because it surprises you.”

When you find yourself on black ice, don’t panic. Slow down, but don’t jam on the brakes. Licocci even suggested that you might want to stop for a cup of coffee somewhere until you can get behind a salt truck.

Whatever the particular winter driving hazard, staying calm and aware always goes well with slowing down and putting a little extra space between your vehicle and other cars. Of course, in the worst conditions, you might want to ask yourself just how important the trip is to begin with. Staying home is one of the surest ways to avoid ‘seasonal repairs.”