Driving in Winter Weather

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During the winter season, it’s important to keep an eye out when driving in winter weather such as freezing rain, snow and sleet. There are several driving tips to keep in mind when you encounter this type of weather.
1. You will likely have poor visibility when driving in winter weather, so it’s imperative that you slow down your vehicle speed.  You’ll also want to increase your following distance to at least 4 seconds or more, and look at least 12 seconds ahead. This will give you time to react if you are approaching a hazardous situation ahead of you.
2. Watch out for other drivers when driving in these adverse conditions. Many drivers will not slow down and they won’t realize they are in a dangerous situation until it’s too late.
3. You’ll need extra time to stop when approaching a stop sign or a red light. Start braking early and gradually as you approach to avoid sliding.
4. Expect other drivers to make mistakes and be prepared for those.
It’s important to follow these steps when driving in winter weather or any adverse road conditions. We teach these defensive driving techniques in all of our classes in our driving schools located in Johnson County, Wichita, Topeka and Manhattan.

Driving in a Residential Neighborhood

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Residential neighborhoods have many potential hazards you need to look out for including, dogs, cats, kids, parked cars and, of course, other moving vehicles.  Here are a few tips to keep in mind when driving in residential areas:

 

1. Speed: Proper speed control in residential areas (or in any area) is extremely important for safe driving.  The rule for a beginner is to maintain a speed of three to five miles under the posted speed limit (of course the universal rule is to always drive the “conditions”).  This precaution prevents you from inadvertent acceleration that would put you over the speed limit and into a potentially hazardous situation.

 

2. Cover The Brake: It’s important to cover your brake when needed while driving in residential areas in case something quickly appears in the roadway such as a child playing, animals in the street, etc. Always scan the area for these things.

 

3. Check Mirrors: Check your mirrors every 5-10 seconds and after every maneuver to make sure you know what is around you. Never take your eyes off the roadway for more than one second at a time.

 

4. Distractions: Never use your phone at any time when you are driving! NEVER!

Kennedy Driving Schools Driving E-Book

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As a parent, it’s important to pass safe driving principles onto your teenager. Not only is it key to model good driving when they are watching you, but you should also provide them with the proper knowledge as they are practicing their driving. Now is the perfect time to practice with your teenager behind-the-wheel to help them become safe, defensive drivers. Bill Kennedy, the owner of Kennedy Driving Schools (located in Johnson County, Manhattan, Topeka and Wichita) has written a 78-page supplemental e-book for parents with teenagers. This step-by-step guide is designed to assist parents with the tools to successfully provide their teen with safe driving skills. It covers a wide range of information from the basic driver education skills to the more complex traffic situations. This book also provides valuable knowledge and training concerning the more advanced, accident-prevention skills needed to develop into a good defensive driver.
You can buy the Ebook here as an automatic download for only $14.99!

Driving In The Rain

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An important portion of driving school is to present students with material on how to control their vehicle under various weather conditions. With higher chances of rain during the spring season, it’s important to be aware of how much water is on the road when you’re driving. Hydroplaning can be a very sudden and shocking experience. A general explanation of hydroplaning is when the tires of your vehicle lose contact with the road because a thin layer of water gets between the tires and the road surface. This can occur at speeds over 35 miles per hour and when there is a half-inch of water or more sitting on the road surface. Poor tread on the tires can also increase the possibility of hydroplaning.

To avoid hydroplaning, it’s important to follow these tips when it’s raining or the road surface is wet:

  1. Reduce vehicle speed before you enter the water on the road surface

  2. Never utilize cruise control when the road surface is wet

  3. Extend following distance to 4 or more seconds

  4. Utilize windshield wipers, and by law, turn on your headlights

  5. Check wipers on a regular basis to make sure they don’t smear

 

If you’re interested in enrolling in any of our driving schools, click on your city below for more information.

Bill Kennedy’s Topeka Driving School

Bill Kennedy’s Drive-Right School of Wichita

Bill Kennedy’s Little Apple Driving School

Bill Kennedy’s Drive Right School of Johnson County

 

Driving in Snow and Ice

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Learning how to drive in adverse weather conditions is a very important part of driver’s ed. At Kennedy Driving School, the academic instruction covers various techniques for driving in the snow and ice. A good defensive driver should know the following rules when driving in these dangerous road conditions.

  • Drive slower and watch out for the other drivers

Reducing the vehicle speed should be the first priority when driving in any hazardous conditions such as rain, sleet, snow, poor visibility, etc. It’s important to “expect the unexpected” when you encounter other vehicles in adverse driving conditions. A lot of drivers don’t even realize they are driving in bad conditions until it’s too late.

  • Increase following distance to at least 4 seconds or more

Using proper following distance can generate the time necessary to view and react safely to any hazardous situation ahead and avoid potential problems.

  • Start braking gradually and early when approaching a stop sign or red light

You’re going to need extra time to stop when driving in hazardous road conditions. Start braking earlier than you normally would to give the vehicle extra time to slow down and avoid sliding.

  • Look at least 12 seconds ahead

Looking ahead can help anticipate hazardous situations and give you the time to react appropriately, before it’s too late.

  • Anticipate the unexpected – be prepared for the other drivers to make mistakes

As mentioned previously, it’s important to watch out for other drivers because they will probably make some mistakes in the adverse driving conditions.

All of these steps should be followed when driving in any adverse road conditions. In our classes we teach these defensive driving techniques in our driving schools located in Johnson County, Wichita, Topeka and Manhattan.