As we once again approach those dark and dreary winter months, we are reminded of the added challenges that we face when driving in adverse weather conditions.  With that in mind, CODE ZERO would like to offer some tips on how ‘to drive and survive’ in such conditions:

• REMEMBER THE BASICS!  In all conditions, the ability to see, steer and brake properly while driving is paramount to arriving at your destination safely.  Obviously, when the weather is inclement, all three of these abilities are compromised.
• SLOW DOWN!  Again, this should be obvious but it is also very important.  People are so used to driving certain speeds on certain roads that they often forget the need to slow down when inclement weather presents itself.
• DRIVE SMOOTHLY!  Driving in wet or slippery conditions demands gentle use of a vehicle’s controls – steering, clutch, brake and accelerator; and a larger allowance for errors and emergencies.
• CHECK YOUR TIRES!  In rain, bald tires significantly reduce your traction and offer little resistance to hydroplaning.  On ice and snow, even new all-season tires perform well below the level of proper winter tires, so if you live at a high elevation or in any area where snow is expected, it is advisable to equip your vehicle with four (!!!) YOKOHAMA winter tires.
• TURN ON YOUR LIGHTS!  In inclement weather, it is essential that your vehicle can be seen by others.  Even if your vehicle is equipped with daytime running lights, when the weather turns bad and visibility is impaired, turn on your lights so that you can be seen from the rear as well as from the front.
• CLEAR ALL YOUR WINDOWS… BEFORE YOU DRIVE!  It is important that both the outside AND inside windows of your vehicle are clean and clear before departing on your journey, however short and simple it may seem.  Being able to see a potential problem or incident is the only way you can prevent it from occurring!
• BE CONFIDENT AND STEER TOWARDS SAFETY!  There are many causes of traffic incidents in poor weather although ‘driving too fast for conditions’ is often cited since many crashes are initiated by a skid.  In these types of emergencies, it is important to ‘calm down’ and ‘look where you want to go’.  In many situations, simply easing off the gas and carefully steering in the direction you want the front of the car to go will allow you to avoid a potential crash or collision.  Moreover, if your vehicle is equipped with ABS (Anti-lock Brakes) you can apply the brakes firmly to slow and stop the vehicle while still maintaining steering control.
• NEVER BLAME THE WEATHER!  If you choose to or are forced to drive in adverse weather conditions, recognize that you are responsible for your safety as well as that of your passengers and other road users.  Always drive within your limits and the limits that are presented to you by weather conditions.

Does Electronic Stability Control really help a driver during that panic-induced “Oh no, I’m going to crash!” moment? The short answer is ‘yes’ but that answer definitely needs further clarification…

At CODE ZERO, we are firm believers that driver skill is the most important element in ‘accident’ prevention. Our motto claiming that we are “Leading the Quest for ZERO Crashes and Collisions” comes as a result of successfully teaching hundreds of drivers important skills and techniques that help them properly control a vehicle under any circumstances. However, unexpected emergencies still occur and as human beings, we are occasionally prone to being distracted or making mistakes… Indeed, even the most skilful of drivers sometimes needs a little extra help. Fortunately, formidable players such as the Canadian Government and Auto Manufacturers have come to offer that help.

On September 1, 2011, a new law was brought into effect that requires all new passenger vehicles sold in Canada to be equipped with a safety feature known as Electronic Stability Control (ESC). When ESC detects loss of steering control, it applies a slight amount of braking to the correct wheel or wheels and in some systems also reduces engine power. This results in a decided lessening of the skid which in turn, minimizes the loss of control. For the most part, ESC allows a driver to regain full control of the vehicle, thus preventing an imminent crash! Up until now, ESC has been available on some new cars and its proven ability to help prevent a dangerous skid resulted in the new legislation.

Undoubtedly, ESC is a great safety feature. We at CODE ZERO recently did some testing alongside ICBC, driving with ESC turned on, then off. During the testing, we learned that ESC is certainly effective at helping turn that ‘Oh no!” moment into something much less dramatic, especially when dealing with an unexpected emergency situation.

However, it became abundantly clear that an increase in speed, even from 60 to 70km/h on our emergency manoeuvre course, hampered the effectiveness of ESC. Furthermore, the effects of this increase in speed were experienced by both professional CODE ZERO instructors and ‘average’ commuter-seasoned drivers.
Our overall experience testing vehicles with and without ESC led us to the following conclusions:

1. ESC was not designed to improve a vehicles cornering performance. It was designed to, and definitely does help a driver maintain control during unexpected, difficult or challenging circumstances, especially on slippery roads.

2. Total loss of adhesion is just that and neither driver skill nor ESC is a match for basic physics!

3. Too fast is still too fast!
Submitted by Andrew Field, President, CODE ZERO Licensing International Inc.

As the attached photo shows, the new CODE ZERO driving pad in Pitt Meadows, BC is almost ready to be paved. All that’s needed is 2 or 3 days of continuously dry weather (please cross your fingers!!!) in order to put the asphalt surface down on the newly groomed and levelled 270,000 square feet area.

“I can’t believe we’re almost there!” said Andrew Field, President of CODE ZERO Licensing International Inc. “With the existing driving area being so busy, our programs in the Metro Vancouver area almost came to a halt over the past few months as we patiently waited for the JIBC to complete their new facility. Unfortunately, that situation also forced most of our clients to wait along with us for more classes and programs to be made available!”

With cooperation from the weatherman, CODE ZERO and the JIBC will launch their new schedule in late October, 2011. Please check www.codezerodriving.com for more information on CODE ZERO programs or www.jibc.ca/ptec/codezero for course dates and to register in Metro Vancouver.

The days of having to schedule Metro Vancouver CODE ZERO public programs on weekday evenings (like the one in the attached picture) because of the busy weekend schedule at the Pitt Meadows Driving Facility is finally coming to an end. “And that’s a good thing in every way!” stated Andrew Field, president of CODE ZERO Licensing International Inc. “For one thing, the days are getting shorter so the programs are getting shorter along with them.”

The good news of weekend dates becoming available is due to the fact that the JIBC is paving a brand new driving pad next to the existing one at Pitt Meadows Airport specifically for emergency-responder training and CODE ZERO programs. Scheduled to be ready by late this month, the new pad will be even larger than the existing one. This means that a further 250,000 + square feet of pavement will be available for use. “In fact, for larger corporate programs, a total of over 500,000 square feet of paved surface will be available, should we ever need it!” Andrew claims. “We are truly excited about going forward with more CODE ZERO programs. Our clients have been asking for it and now we can start making plans for our Level 3 programs in addition to scheduling more Level 1, 2 and Group programs.”

As the attached photos show, quick progress is being made thanks to the great weather recently in Metro Vancouver. The aerial view shows the existing pavement to the left of the soon-to-be paved area. Within the next week, CODE ZERO expects to have a number of courses scheduled for October. So, please stay posted by checking our website (www.codezerodriving.com) for new dates!

CODE ZERO held their first Corporate/Group Event at their brand-new facility in Pitt Meadows, BC last week. As usual, the unique combination of Advanced Driving lessons and Team-Building activities left the participants with both newfound confidence in their driving abilities along with valuable experience in working (and playing) well together.

After undergoing several carefully-designed, police recruit-inspired driving exercises that teach potentially, life-saving skills to them, the group of 16 split up into teams of four in order to solve a mock crime that involved an armed robbery and a getaway vehicle. Referred to as the “CODE ZERO Gold Shield Challenge”, this exciting event tests safe-driving techniques, observation skills plus overall teamwork and cohesiveness all under the added pressure of time limits, emergency sirens and two-way radios. These additional factors provided participants with the opportunity to work and drive under stressful conditions, something that they discovered can be done quite well if they focused on the skills and techniques that they were practising earlier.

Although they were, in many ways ‘pushed to the limit’, all the participants displayed a surprising level of competence accompanied by a suitable amount of enthusiasm and team spirit throughout the entire day of activities. “I never thought I could share so much fun with others while learning to be a much better driver myself!” said one enthusiastic participant.