Winter driving dread: A case for functional phobia

The nightmares begin with the turning of the fall leaves, and the dread rises around Halloween. The fear goes hand in hand with Halloween candy — just another autumn season tradition. That is when I start to anticipate the coming of ice, snow and the horrific black, frozen rain that thwarts my naturally optimistic and analytical nature.
Confession: I am not a good driver in sunny conditions, which makes me one awful, fearful winter driver. Most of us lie to ourselves just a little about how good we are in most endeavors: getting to work on time, opposing sugar, coming up with clever words at scrabble, buying interesting Christmas presents. Driving skills are no different. Travel one click on the autobahn, however, and the evidence is chasing our bumpers.
Most of us are mediocre behind the wheel at best, subpar at status quo and downright dangerous at DEFCON 5. Then snow falls, and WATCH OUT. It’s worse than the zombie apocalypse.
Most of the men in my life rate that they are better drivers than me. The odds are that most of them are right, but my recognition of my poor abilities keeps me safe against the delusion that I’m always safe. I hold firm that the more I question my driving acumen, the safer I (and society at large) will be. It’s true: Men may be safer drivers, but they are more at risk. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reported the following: 71 percent of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2012 were males. They account for 69 percent of pedestrian deaths, 87 percent of bicyclist deaths and 91 percent of motorcyclist deaths.
OK, men. A little fear may actually be the SAFEST thing for you when it comes to transporting yourself anywhere from point A to point B. Then, Mother Nature’s heart goes cold. Whatever your gender, here’s how winter impacts driving conditions:
• It reduces visibility
• It impairs driver response time
• It lowers vehicle performance (i.e., traction, stability and maneuverability)
• It impedes pavement friction
• It threatens roadway infrastructure
• It increases crash risk
• It clogs traffic flow
See? I assert that this winter driving dread is warranted.
The numbers and research shocks me: On average, there are almost 6 million crashes in the U.S. annually, and almost a quarter are related to adverse weather (the figures come from 10-year averages from 2002 to 2012 based on NHTSA data).
Before you let the dread convince you to hibernate with your Apple TV for the next four months, let’s rationally look at statistics. Although winter driving is fraught with more risks, the truth is less accidents occur during winter months. Actually, most weather road crashes are not due to snow or sleet or ice. Only a quarter of accidents are caused by winter conditions. In reality, the numbers show that 74 percent of crashes occur on wet pavement, like during rainfall. This means it is more dangerous to drive in spring or summer compared to winter.
Why could this be? When we assume the road is safer than it is, or we are more capable drivers than we are, we take unintentional risks, and therefore, we are worse drivers.
A little anxiety can be a good thing. A small dose of winter driving dread can go a long way in keeping me more alert, more careful and more safe. I’ll have to remember not to let that dread “thaw” come March when the spring season starts.
Or, I’ll get an Apple TV. They seem to be a very effective means to not go anywhere.