One thing that every Michigander knows about winter is that the forecast is rarely ever right. It could say that there’s a 0% chance of precipitation, but four hours later it’s snowing and the wind is gusting up to 30 mph.
This year is predicted to be one of the snowiest in recent times. Michigan has already experienced multiple snowmelts and days of rain between winter storms.
Once you turn 16, this unpredictability gains a stark element of danger as you start to drive on the ever-changing roads. In these conditions a crash can ruin what was, before, a perfectly good day.
“A few years ago at 6:15 in the morning. I’m driving home from the gym,” says Skyline math teacher, Nicholas Bertsos. “They called the snow day, and roads were bad, obviously I’m celebrating. The gym is roughly a two minute drive from my house, and in those two minutes, my car spun around twice and then just fell into a ditch, and was just like, a great morning of snow day-ness just completely ruined.”
On these days it can also be hard to get help when you crash, as it is likely that a lot of other people have also had an accident. This could possibly leave you stuck in one place, cold and unhappy for hours. “And then, of course, all the tow companies are like, yeah, we’re really busy.
I’m like, ‘that’s cool!’” says Bertsos.
Incidents can happen anywhere, from the wide open highway to crowded neighborhood streets. “Last month as I was driving through my neighborhood I went around a turn and as I was going around it the back of my car swung around,” says Jacob Ilgen (‘26). “I was driving slowly enough, though and I was able to slide to the side of the road and stop safely.”
Spins aren’t the only thing that you need to look out for during winter. You could also just get stuck in the snow or slide backwards down a hill if you don’t have four wheel drive. “A few weeks ago I had to stop on the hill on North Maple,” says Nicholas Farrell (‘26). “I immediately started sliding backwards because of how much ice there was. Thankfully there was no one behind me, but it was still a scary experience.”
Another thing that could happen when driving in the winter is a crash, which can range from a light bump to totaling your car and serious injury. “I was going to go to a concert in Chicago by myself,” says Bertsos. “It was January, and I could tell you the song I was listening to. Then the whole car spun around on the highway, flipped over a couple times, and [then] I had to kick myself out of the window.”
Staying careful on the road is one of the most important things you can do when driving in winter, it keeps you safe and definitely gives your parents’ peace of mind. “Take it slow. Speed limits are set based on normal conditions,” says Farrell. “Don’t be afraid to go 10-15 under especially when there are no other cars around.”
