Winter driving in Wonder Lake can be a little tricky. Some tips on how to handle that  winter driving might help.

We’re a month into the Wonder Lake winter of 2024-25. In fact, we’re into the 2025 portion of the winter. Hopefully, you’re used to driving in winter conditions in these parts. But, just in case, here are some tips to consider.

Keep in mind that road conditions change in Wonder Lake and, this time of year, they can change suddenly. In fact, they can change from one stretch of road to another.

Consider a day when we’ve had some snow, not a lot of snow but enough to catch your attention. Plows may have cleared the roads. The sun may have melted much of the snow. But suppose it’s a windy day.

In places where the wind can get up some room to blast away, the snow may have drifted across the road even where it was previously cleared.

If you’re driving down a stretch of road that is clear of snow and dry, will you be prepared for the effects of windblown snow on the road? The sudden change can catch your tires off guard.

When you’re driving down the road and hit a patch of snow, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that you would spin out. You may find yourself in a ditch. Worse yet, you could go into oncoming traffic.

The trick is to reduce speed when you see a change in traction caused by snow, ice or moisture on the road. Take a deep breath, relax and assume you could have a problem and be prepared. The worst thing that will happen is that you have to control your vehicle in a ticklish situation. If not, you’re still in control.

Another consideration in the winter is black ice. They call it ‘black ice’ but it’s really invisible ice. The road may look wet but when you drive onto it, you could find you’re having trouble controlling the vehicle. Once again, carefully reducing speed should help (try to avoid slamming on the brakes).

One place where we often see black ice, or ice in general, is on a bridge. With a bridge, the cold is attacking the pavement from all directions. Moisture freezes up on a bridge faster than on other stretches of road where the ground offers some protection from a falling thermometer. 

Whenever driving during a Wonder Lake winter, avoiding sudden stops and starts is a good way to avoid losing control of your vehicle. Keeping speeds down and allowing more room between yourself and other vehicles is essential, too.