You can’t talk enough about the tricks of winter driving, nor can you talk about proper preparation. In the second part of our article series, we talk about the prepared driver.
There are those who love it, there are those who hate winter, but there is no way out to escape. With proper preparedness and attention many inconveniences and accidents can be avoided. Prevention is especially important in extreme road conditions! Head trainer of drivingcamp Hungary - László Csörgő, gave you tips about the well-prepared car in our previous article, today it is the turn of the prepared driver.
Information = security
Information can be always exchanged for time and time for security - let’s take this as basic! So it’s very important that you find out before you leave, what’s going on at my destination and what to expect along the way. It doesn't matter if I move from the 12th district to the second or from Kispest to Debrecen, it is very important that we plan the route each time. This is also important because the road conditions are much more hectic in winter than in summer and everyone is much more tense. If I just lounch into the big world and on the way there are some problems, closures, snowblocks, anything that causes me to be late, the result will be that I will go like a Formula 1 racer and that is especially dangerous on slippery roads. Being calm and driving calmly is good not only for me but can influence others on the road.
Hello 2020
Where are the times when we had to call the traffic information by phone to find out what is the situation in Taktaharkány Alsó? Today, all information is available instantly in seconds on the Internet with real time road information.
GPS and online navigation devices are also wonderful inventions of our time, which also monitor live traffic and can replan and warn us in time. Take a few minutes before you leave, find out and plan your trip! Remember, information can be switched to time and time can lead to security!
Car-zen
At first you may laugh but harmony in the car is important, let’s get dressed together! Obviously, this does not mean that a light, sequined cocktail dress is mandatory for all passengers, otherwise there is no carriage! But layered clothing is very important. Why? Think about it: you drive and take off your jacket because you can’t drive safely as a Michelin puppet, it hinders maneuvering, the seat belt doesn’t last that way and your partner sits next to you in a big jacket. You turn on the heating and as you leave, poor wife or husband will begin to take a sauna in the front seat. What is the result of this? Window opening. The cold comes in, which strikes you, the window fogs up, there will be a conflict, "Don't open the window!", "But I'll fry!" - say more? So everyone gets off their coats and there will be peace of mind within a few minutes, a pleasant, tolerable temperature in the car for everyone. At the end of the day, the driver’s peace of mind is key to being able to focus on driving.
As a passenger, we can do more of this than we think, because we can support the driver in safe driving in one way or another, after all it is in everyone's interest to arrive safe. We don’t even discuss family issues while driving, so don’t attack the driver for why he didn’t take the trash can down and who is Alice, anyway. Let’s talk about calm, light-hearted topics, don’t create unnecessary tension behind the wheel, and don’t distract the driver from the road either. If we see that he is tired, please stop at the next well, eat, drink something. We can also use the I have to go to the Loo- card immediately.
What can the driver do, how can he prepare mentally for the journey? Because yes, mental concentration is important always, but especially before longer journeys. Let's rest and don't go on a trip after 3 hours of sleep from Nyírlugos to Sopron. Before driving, we should eat light so that we do not become sleepy and digestion does not make us drowsy. So if you have a trip to the menu, wait a few hours before you get in the vehicle.
Outfits can also help a lot in focusing. Wear lightweight clothing (e.g.: removing the jacket – see a little above) and our shoes should also be casual. Don’t sit behind the wheel in boots, snowshoes because handling the pedals are more difficult than in lighter shoes.
If we get tired, stop! We know the cool guys who drives more miles without any breaks but let’s not play around with it! Let’s be present on the road with our mind too and if we feel the our battery need some refill, stop to rest!
Proper driving skills are also important. If you don’t feel confident behind the wheel, go for a driving technique training where you can practice in safe, controlled conditions with professionals on winter trips. You can read more about our driving trainings here.
So we have a prepared driver and a prepared car, we can go!
We wish you a safe winter drive!