As I write this article, we are experiencing a significant spring melt, even though it is not officially spring. Just a few days ago, we were in the grips of an arctic vortex. Welcome to March in Wisconsin! As the old saying goes, if you don’t like the weather, wait a few hours; it will change. There are times throughout the month of March when we get to experience more than one season in 24 hours. With this volatility in mind, I share the following considerations.
As cold gives way to warmth, fog will be a common occurrence in our daily lives, and bring with it the potential for hazardous driving conditions. Many of the same safety tips apply, such as leaving additional distance between your vehicle and one in front of you. Due to the instant onset of limited visibility due to fog, what may seem reasonable can become following too closely in a very short distance. Just as you would not over-drive your headlights in night driving, you should also reduce your speed when you observe that visibility has deteriorated due to fog. When approaching an intersection, especially in rural areas, it may not be a bad idea to roll down your window as you may hear approaching traffic you may not otherwise see. A final tip regarding driving in foggy conditions is always to ensure your headlamps are lit. While most new vehicles are equipped with automatic activating headlamps at dusk, sometimes the fog is not enough to activate them, and you may have to go to old school and physically turn them on. (Don’t forget to turn them off)
The other hazard of spring can be the rapid melting we are currently experiencing. This can create conditions where standing water may be on a road surface. If not detected, this can create the potential for hydroplaning and the inability to control your vehicle. As with the issue of visibility, being aware of the changing conditions on the road surface and reducing your speed will reduce the risk of finding yourself in a very dangerous situation.
A final word of caution is that with the fluctuating temperatures, the same roads and surfaces that were covered in standing water just a few miles ago could very quickly transition to being ice-covered. Maintain an awareness of those changing conditions and their effects on our road surfaces.
It won’t be long before we can enjoy the amazing spring weather that will inevitably arrive. Although our current weather pattern may not be optimal, it gives us a greater appreciation for those warmer days ahead!
