Weather and Hazardous Conditions Flashcards

How should you accelerate from a stop on ice or packed snow?

Answer: Gently and gradually to avoid spinning the wheels

Gentle, gradual acceleration keeps the tires from spinning and losing what little traction the icy surface offers.

Which items belong in a winter survival kit for driving in remote Alaska?

Answer: Blankets, food, water, flashlight, first-aid kit, and a shovel

A winter kit should let you survive hours or days if stranded, including warmth, food, water, light, and tools.

Why should you clear ALL snow and ice from your vehicle, not just the windshield, before driving?

Answer: Snow can slide onto your glass or fly off and endanger other drivers

Snow left on the roof or hood can slide over your windows or blow onto vehicles behind you, blocking vision.

You are driving downhill on a long, icy grade. What is the best technique?

Answer: Shift to a lower gear before the hill and brake gently and early

A lower gear lets the engine slow the vehicle so you avoid heavy braking that could lock the wheels on ice.

What danger does slush on the roadway pose even when temperatures are above freezing?

Answer: It can pull your tires and cause loss of steering control, similar to hydroplaning

Slush can grab tires and cause the vehicle to veer or hydroplane, so slow down and avoid deep slush ruts.

During a winter storm, another vehicle's spray of snow completely blocks your vision for a moment. What should you have done to prepare?

Answer: Kept a longer following distance and reduced speed near other vehicles

Extra distance and lower speed give you time to react when snow spray from trucks or plows temporarily blinds you.

What is the risk of running your engine for heat while stranded in deep snow?

Answer: Carbon monoxide can build up if the exhaust pipe is blocked by snow

A snow-blocked tailpipe can force deadly carbon monoxide into the cabin, so clear the exhaust and crack a window.