Running neat, no ice
You’re westbound out of Wawa; it’s sunny and minus 36. The pavement’s a nice grey/white. But up near that rock cut? Solid ebony. And we’ll bet you toonies to Timbits it’s not freshly laid asphalt. You’re looking at black ice.
We’re at the height of skid season, so here are tips for preventing loss of traction, loss of steering, or wheel lockups. Most of these tips apply whether you’re piloting full-sized trucks, company cars, or yard and maintenance vehicles.
A skid is the result of one or more wheels losing their grip on the road, usually caused by over-braking, over-acceleration, or over-steering on a slippery surface. If you’ve applied the brakes hard enough to cause the wheels to lock up, all other control of the vehicle will have been lost until the wheels are rolling again. That’s why steering may be safer than braking.
Ice becomes slipperier as it warms toward the freezing point. Spinning tires heat the ice and it becomes even more dangerous.
Locked wheels want to lead in a skid. That’s why a skidding trailer will come around to the side and skidding drive wheels break away from the line of travel and slip sideways.
A wheel that’s rolling straight has the best traction. A sharp change in direction (the angle of attack) can reduce traction. This applies mainly to steering axles but also to drive axles in a corner.
In extremely slippery conditions, don’t use cruise control because it can cause abrupt over-acceleration and rob your drive wheels of traction.
A jackknife can happen in as little as 1.5 seconds, and if the jackknife is already more than 18 degrees, it will be virtually impossible to drive out of.
Avoid using your engine brake. If things are extremely slippery, turn it off or else you’ll run the risk of over-braking, which can cause a skid.
In some cases, trucks running with the differential lock engaged might cause all drive wheels to spin, rather than just one, thereby increasing the possibility of a drive-axle skid.
Practice. Ask a reputable truck driver training school about skid-pad training for your drivers.
Above all, be aware of the traffic around you and anticipate your “out” route should trouble arise.
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