Before You Go
Caltrans Highway Information Network (CHIN): Caltrans officials urge you to check road conditions often. To help keep abreast of changing conditions, Caltrans operates the Caltrans Highway Information Network which motorists may telephone - 800.427.7623 - for up-to-the-minute information in California and Western Nevada (Lake Tahoe/Reno Area). The network is updated as conditions change, and is voice-activated for safety and convenience.
Before driving, check with the CHIN 800.427.7623
Hwy 4 Road Info: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/sr4
Road webcams:
Caltrans (live video): 80 at Kingvale, nr Soda Springs exit: http://video.dot.ca.gov/asx/Kingvale-eb-80.asx
Other Caltrans webcams: road conditions: http://video.dot.ca.gov/
How to Drive a Car in Winter Weather
Driving your car while the roads are snowy and icy can be a stressful ordeal. While some vehicles are well-suited for the snow, some are not and require preparation and know-how to keep the car under control.
1. Get your car serviced regularly. Preventive maintenance is key. Make sure your battery, cooling system, and windshield wipers are in tip-top shape. You'll spend less money servicing your car than you'll spend towing and fixing it if your car gives out while you're on a dark, snowy road.
2. Buy snow tires or add chains to your existing tires if you live in a very snowy climate. Snow tires have special treads that dig through the snow and allow the vehicle to have better traction, They're also made of a more tender type of rubber, so that they don't freeze hard in cold temperatures. All season tires do not clean themselves of snow properly and become clogged in deep snow.It is best to get snow tires for all 4 wheels, but if you're running on a tight budget and your car is rear-wheel drive, you may be able to get away with just adding snow tires to the rear. Most tire stores will only install snow tires or studded tires to all four wheels of a front wheel drive vehicle. The rear tires should have equal or greater grip than the front tires to provide safe braking especially when going downhill.
3. Practice driving in winter weather: If you're learning to drive, or are unfamiliar with driving in snowy and icy weather conditions, practice after a storm in a large, empty parking lot with a seasoned driver. Practice how to brake safely, learn to get out of a skid, and how your car handles in winter weather. This can actually be a lot of fun!
4. Put a few sandbags directly over the rear axle if--and only if--you have a rear-drive vehicle. This isn't the safest idea. The weight of the sand provides more pressure on tires to provide better traction, but the added weight in the rear of your car decrease maneuverability and braking because the added weight will increase momentum and if too much is added it could "sling" the rear of the car out in a turn. The sand in the bags could be used to provide traction when you're stuck by pouring some sand in front of the slipping tires. When they're in your car, tie them down if they're in the passenger area so that they don't move or fly around if you do end up swerving. But be very careful when braking if the forces on your car are not equally distributed (e.g. braking while turning), because you will have the tendency to spin backwards.
Caltrans Highway Information Network (CHIN): Caltrans officials urge you to check road conditions often. To help keep abreast of changing conditions, Caltrans operates the Caltrans Highway Information Network which motorists may telephone - 800.427.7623 - for up-to-the-minute information in California and Western Nevada (Lake Tahoe/Reno Area). The network is updated as conditions change, and is voice-activated for safety and convenience.
Before driving, check with the CHIN 800.427.7623
Hwy 4 Road Info: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/sr4
Road webcams:
Caltrans (live video): 80 at Kingvale, nr Soda Springs exit: http://video.dot.ca.gov/asx/Kingvale-eb-80.asx
Other Caltrans webcams: road conditions: http://video.dot.ca.gov/
How to Drive a Car in Winter Weather
Driving your car while the roads are snowy and icy can be a stressful ordeal. While some vehicles are well-suited for the snow, some are not and require preparation and know-how to keep the car under control.
1. Get your car serviced regularly. Preventive maintenance is key. Make sure your battery, cooling system, and windshield wipers are in tip-top shape. You'll spend less money servicing your car than you'll spend towing and fixing it if your car gives out while you're on a dark, snowy road.
2. Buy snow tires or add chains to your existing tires if you live in a very snowy climate. Snow tires have special treads that dig through the snow and allow the vehicle to have better traction, They're also made of a more tender type of rubber, so that they don't freeze hard in cold temperatures. All season tires do not clean themselves of snow properly and become clogged in deep snow.It is best to get snow tires for all 4 wheels, but if you're running on a tight budget and your car is rear-wheel drive, you may be able to get away with just adding snow tires to the rear. Most tire stores will only install snow tires or studded tires to all four wheels of a front wheel drive vehicle. The rear tires should have equal or greater grip than the front tires to provide safe braking especially when going downhill.
3. Practice driving in winter weather: If you're learning to drive, or are unfamiliar with driving in snowy and icy weather conditions, practice after a storm in a large, empty parking lot with a seasoned driver. Practice how to brake safely, learn to get out of a skid, and how your car handles in winter weather. This can actually be a lot of fun!
4. Put a few sandbags directly over the rear axle if--and only if--you have a rear-drive vehicle. This isn't the safest idea. The weight of the sand provides more pressure on tires to provide better traction, but the added weight in the rear of your car decrease maneuverability and braking because the added weight will increase momentum and if too much is added it could "sling" the rear of the car out in a turn. The sand in the bags could be used to provide traction when you're stuck by pouring some sand in front of the slipping tires. When they're in your car, tie them down if they're in the passenger area so that they don't move or fly around if you do end up swerving. But be very careful when braking if the forces on your car are not equally distributed (e.g. braking while turning), because you will have the tendency to spin backwards.
5. Look ahead and keep a very safe distance from the vehicles in front of you (double the distance you normally would). Keep scanning the vehicles in front of you and look out for brake lights. If you've kept your distance you should be able to bring your vehicle to a stop with distance to spare, instead of having to slam on your brakes and sliding into the vehicles in front of you.
6. Ease up on the gas if your car starts to slip in place while you're trying to accelerate from a standstill. Remember, the wheels have better traction when they are not slipping. If you have an automatic transmission put the selector lever to 2. Most cars lock the transmission in second gear to facilitate easier starting from a slippery surface.
7. Drive slowly and carefully. No matter how much preparation and experience you might have, the way your car will move on snow or ice always has a big element of unpredictability. Anticipate turns and stops so you can approach them gently. Do not accelerate into turns. Coasting through the turn works best in deep snow or on icy roads.
8. When stopping plan well in advance, apply the brakes gently, and slowly add pressure rather than fast sudden braking. Intersections are often extremely icy so do not rely on being able to come to a stop in your normal bare pavement zone. If your car is equipped with anti-lock brakes, the best thing you can do to stop the car quickly is to apply firm constant pressure to the brake pedal. The ABS system will maintain traction, and you will be able to steer the car during braking. If your car doesn't have anti-lock brakes and the wheels do lock, release the brake and re-apply gently. Usually, repeatedly tapping the brakes has good results. Do not try to steer a car not equipped with ABS if your wheels are locked or close to locking. If there is an obstacle in your path and a collision is imminent, it is best to release the brakes to unlock the front wheels and steer around the obstacle with no gas pedal applied. (See the related wikiHow article How to Stop a Car with Brake Failure.)
9. There is much confusion caused by the ambiguity used when instructions are given regarding skidding and the direction of the skid. A great number of people fail to realize that skidding involves the loss of grip of the rear wheels of the car (with rear wheel drive cars) and occurs when the rear of the car is trying to pass the front. To correct for any skid -let up on the gas and gently turn your wheels in the direction you want to go. It is a very natural desire to turn that way and so there is nothing complicated to have to remember which way to turn. Be careful not to over correct and do not re-apply the gas until you are again headed in the direction you want to go. If you happen to see someone in the ditch facing the opposite way they were traveling - they undoubtedly turned the wrong way or did not let up on the gas.
10. Don't accelerate while turning! When people say "accelerate," they usually mean speed up. But, remember from high school physics, that there are really three ways to accelerate (change your velocity). All of the three can cause skidding. They are (1) speeding up, (2) slowing down, and (3) changing direction. If you're doing one of the three, don't be doing another simultaneously. For example. if you're turning, don't speed up or slow down, stay at a constant speed. If you're in the middle of a turn and discover you're going too fast, remember, now is not the time to brake! Wait until you've finished turning and avoid a skid.
11. Many people are understandably terrified of hills in wintery driving conditions. The first thing to remember is to never apply the brakes on a hill if you can avoid it whether going uphill or downhill. Remember that the slower the wheels are moving (and that the engine is revolving), the more torque is applied. When approaching an incline, speed up slightly before reaching the hill to give you the momentum to get up the hill. Never slow down before attempting an incline or while you are on the hill. Declines are perhaps more difficult to deal with. When approaching a decline, slow down before you reach the hill, then coast down the hill as safely as you can. On long steep declines, coast as long as you can, but DO NOT let your car get out of control. Judiciously apply the brake to keep your speed to a manageable level. On cars with manual transmissions and where it is legal, engine braking is invaluable in dealing with declines in winter weather.
