North Dakota driving lesson · Emergencies & Winter Driving
Winter driving & braking on ice
A 3-minute lesson from the North Dakota course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
North Dakota winters demand extra care. Check whether roads are closed, clear every window, and be ready to slow down. On ice, the right way to brake depends on what kind of brakes your vehicle has.
Know the rule
Brakes work best just before your tires start to skid or slide on the road surface.
Keep the windshield clear: let the defroster warm up while you scrape ice off the windows. Use washer fluid with anti-freeze, but know it can freeze on the glass at high speeds in very cold weather and block your view.
Slamming on your brakes locks the wheels and makes the tires skid. Pumping ABS or letting up on it turns the system off and on and reduces its effectiveness.
If you get stuck in a snowstorm, stay with your vehicle; most deaths happen when people leave and get lost. Open windows slightly and run the engine and heater only for short periods to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Stay active and don't panic.
Your car has ABS and starts sliding toward an icy intersection. Press the brake pedal firmly and hold steady pressure. Don't pump it; pumping turns the ABS off and on and makes it less effective.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
What is the fine for entering a road that is officially closed due to hazardous conditions?
$500
$250
$1,000
$100
Answer: $250
It is not legal to enter a road officially closed due to hazardous conditions; the penalty is a $250 fine.
If your vehicle becomes stuck in a snowstorm, what should you do?
Leave the vehicle immediately to find help
Run the engine continuously with all windows closed
Stay with it; run the heater only briefly
Keep the engine off the whole time
Answer: Stay with it; run the heater only briefly
Stay with the vehicle; most deaths occur when people leave and get lost. Crack a window and run the heater for short periods to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.