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OK, in this segment, I'm going to cover some safety tips for driving your vehicle with
chains and salt. And first, I just want to a brief period and touch on a couple items.
Any time you're going to take your vehicle into winter driving conditions, especially
in an area where I've spent a lot of time. You're in a real remote area in high altitude
and its great distances in between emergency aid, phone communication, cell contact. So,
you have to have your vehicle and you prepared for any conditions you might encounter. If
you become break down or if you break down for any reason or become disabled, you have
to be prepared to walk out of that situation or survive in that situation until somebody
can come and assist you. So, there's a good list of items that should always be in your
car when you attempt to go out and do winter travel, especially in remote areas. Some basic
items like a shovel, extra clothes, food, plastic bags -- they work real good for water
protection for both your body and other needs that you may have, items you need to protect.
Sand, other types of traction devices, basic safety kit, and if possible, some other type
of communication. Cell phones -- it's just kind of a hit and miss. You just want to be
as prepared as possible for winter driving conditions. And keep in mind, if you break
down and you have to walk with snow and everything on the ground, as little as six inches of
snow can almost double your walking time. And twice that amount of snow will quadruple
it. So, it can be a real serious thing to get broken down or stranded out in the winter
driving situation and we want to take that into consideration. First thing to cover with
chains is they do break. If they break, you must stop immediately and repair the damage
or remove the link and tape up any loose items or secure any loose items. The chains will
rapidly disintegrate and fall apart and can quickly and easily damage your vehicle. One
of the major concerns is not just that it comes off, but it comes off cleanly and doesn't
wrap around one of the drive axles. The next thing is speed. Everything has got to be done
much, much slower. The maximum speed for chains is usually thirty miles an hour. I don't recommend
you exceed it. You have to have chains on, there's a good reason for it and you don't
want to be going faster than that. You're going to need at least twice the distance
between you and the vehicle you're following at normal speeds. And you're going to need
about four times the stopping distance than you would normally need. And, once your chains
are applied, if you've got a vehicle that's equipped with a traction or an anti-lock brake
system, you just want to apply the brakes and hold them firmly and the anti-lock system
should stop the vehicle smoothly and easily. And if you have the older style brakes, you
want to pulse on the brakes, very evenly and gradually. If the vehicle should start to
slide, release the brake and your steering will pick back up and you'll be rolling again
and then you just slowly brake back into it. Anytime you start to feel your vehicle starting
to slide, you need to release the brake or back off on the gas. Whatever action you were
taking was too dramatic. All your driving habits have to be done very smoothly, predictably
and just take your time. The key element here is slow. Be safe. OK, that should just about
conclude the safety. Also, you can find some helpful tips usually in your operator's manual
and a lot of times the chain kit will come with some instructions in them that can also
provide you with some good, useful tips. So, read up on all of the information you have
available to yo and have a good, safe trip. Please watch our next segment and it will
cover the safe removal of the chains, and then cleaning and storage.