January 20, 1999

Defensive driving: Shun spins in snow & slush

By Garret Leiva
Herald staff writer
     
      15-year-old Dan Chmielewdski hung his head and let out an apologetic "ah, man."
      Without getting out of the car he knew the front tires of the 1999 Buick Regal LS were engulfed in a snowbank. He put his foot on the ABS brake pedal and shifted the vehicle into park. No sense in spinning the (tire make) - he was stuck. Even the police officer in the passenger seat agreed.
      While this may sound like every teen-age driver's worst nightmare, getting stuck in the snow is a valuable lesson learned during the winter defensive driving course held Saturday on the grounds of Cherry Capital Airport.
      Under the instruction of three Traverse City police officers, a dozen high school students climbed behind the wheel to find out first-hand why you steer with the skid. They also learned that it takes more than ABS braking and traction control to drive safely on snow and ice.
      "The majority of the students we run through the course have had absolutely no contact with foul weather driving," noted Dennis Padgett, Traverse City Police school liaison officer at Central High School and an instructor at the four-hour course.
      "In northern Michigan winter driving is a way of life. It is something the kids should know about ahead of time as opposed to trial and error."
      Because most students take training courses during spring, summer or fall months, Padgett said that many youthful drivers are unprepared to handle unforeseen situations that arise during the winter. Stressing the basic fundamentals of braking, steering and acceleration, the course emphasized vehicle control and accident avoidance.
      "What we try to do is basically give the students an idea of what a motor vehicle really is and how it handles under weight transfer either through braking, steering or acceleration," said Padgett, who noted that close to 600 students have gone through the defensive driving course.
      Another important teaching tool is the course itself. Riding atop a layer of crusty snow and ice, students learned not to oversteer in the straight-aways and take the tight turns. As part of the program, each student drove both the front-wheel drive Regal and Pontiac Grand Am donated by Bill Marsh and a rear-wheel Crown Victoria police cruiser.
      Putting students through the paces, instructors Padgett, Bill Nemietz and George Preston stressed the importance of good hand position, smooth acceleration and controlling the car under heavy braking. They also pointed out the most common misconception young drivers have about driving in winter conditions - speed.
      "A majority of drivers, not just youthful ones, have no concept of stopping time and stopping distance," Padgett said. "They think because they have special tires or ABS braking they can stop as efficiently on snow and ice as on a clear, dry day. Unfortunately, a lot of people learn the hard way that isn't the case."
      Aside from learning a lesson in ill-advised left-hand turns, Central High School student Chmielewdski also received a first-ever education in winter driving. An experience that may make him less apprehensive about getting behind the wheel.
      "I was in the car two times when my parents wiped out. I'm kind of a scared about doing the same," he said.
      Although they have avoided such close calls with the tow truck, students Carl Bean-Larson and Zach Wise have found winter driving a challenge.
      "The hardest thing is having the patience to drive slow all the time," noted Bean-Larson, a 15-year-old student at West Senior High.
      For 17-year-old Wise, the weather isn't the only test of his driving ability. "My mom freaks out when I drive. She's like, 'oh my god slow down,''' said the Kingsley resident, who took the course to have a better understanding of regaining vehicle control in emergency situations.
      Albeit far from a crash course, officer Padgett realizes that a one-day defensive driving program has a limited impact unless students practice these lessons every time they put the car in gear.
      "We're not foolish enough to think that we'll change driving characteristics in four hours," he said. "We hope to show these students some concept of the proper way to handle a vehicle and that by practicing they will become better drivers."