It's that time of year when winter weather conditions can turn a relatively easy road trip into a treacherous one. Such driving conditions demand increased driver concentration and preparation.

Reduced Visibility
During severe winter conditions, which often include reduced visibility, all windows and mirrors should be cleared of ice and snow before heading out and along the way as needed. Headlights, taillights and reflectors should also be cleaned frequently to improve your visibility to others on the road. Wind-driven snow can cause added visibility problems by obscuring signs, road markings and off-ramps. Reduce your speed and activate low beam headlights to compensate for limited visibility. Obviously, if you can't see, get off the road. Pull off at the nearest safe place and wait until conditions improve.

Inadequate Traction
Even a small amount of road moisture can affect the control of a vehicle due to reduced traction. As a vehicle's speed increases, traction decreases. If you sense that traction is poor, slow down until your truck is well under control.

If the wheels on your truck begin to slip, ease your foot off the accelerator. Carefully watch vehicles ahead, adjust your speed and alter your following distance to match road conditions. Brake slowly and carefully, allowing plenty of room for a response. Plan turns, making them cautiously to minimize skids, and learn to recognize hazards early to avoid the need to make sudden maneuvers.

Temperature Changes
Traction will be at its worst on ice. It is important to be alert for sudden temperature changes which can turn a wet road into an icy one and semi-slick snow to slippery ice. On cold days when the road is wet, keep an eye on the spray thrown from other vehicles. As long as you can see spray, the road hasn't frozen over entirely. But, if the spray suddenly stops, watch out as ice may be forming.

The most dangerous ice condition is "black ice," which forms when temperatures drop rapidly and any moisture on the road freezes into a smooth, nearly invisible, extremely slippery surface. Bridges/overpasses, underpasses, dips in the road, shaded areas and the lower sides of banked curves are all prone to "black ice" conditions and require special caution.

Mechanical and Personal Preparation
In wintry conditions, pay particularly close attention to tires, coolant and antifreeze, battery and ignition, lights and reflectors, thermostat, brakes, windshield wipers and fluid, heating and defrosting systems and the fuel tank level.

For personal protection, prepare an emergency kit containing additional warm clothing, first aid supplies, a blanket and/or sleeping bag, a cell phone, a windshield scraper/snow brush, flashlight with extra batteries, triangles or flares, a small shovel, non-perishable food, matches and candles, bottled water and prescribed medications. Packing a few supplies in your truck now could mean the difference between surviving comfortably or risking your life should a bad storm cause you to be stranded or stalled for a period of time.

Keep informed of the latest weather and road conditions as they can change often. Yet, as accurate as weather forecasters try to be, Mother Nature has the final say and she can be fickle. If you have prepared well, you should be able to turn a potentially treacherous trip into a safe one.