Call 511 or visit 511.alaska.gov. The state posts winter road conditions there every day from October into May.
The road ahead looks wet, but it's not. That's ice, as smooth as glass. The first clue is when your steering wheel suddenly feels light in your hands. Winter comes to Alaska's roads before the calendar says it should. By the end of October, the pavement starts playing tricks on you. There are steps you can take to make driving safer.
Start with your car. A battery that worked fine in July can fail when it's 20 below zero. Check your tire pressure, wiper blades, washer fluid, antifreeze, belts, hoses, and brakes before you need them. Studded tires are legal during the cold months, but the exact dates depend on where you live. State law says you can't use them from May 1 through Sept. 15 if you're north of 60 degrees latitude. South of that line, the dates are April 15 through Sept. 30. Keep extra supplies in your car too: a blanket, food, a shovel, and a candle or flares. Cell phone service is spotty across much of Alaska, even on a good day.
Next, check the road before you drive on it. Call 511 or visit 511.alaska.gov. The state posts winter road conditions there every day from October into May. You'll also find highway cameras and weather updates. A few major highways get no winter maintenance at all. That means no plows and no help if you get stuck. The website warns you about those roads. Once you're driving, remember that speed limits were set for dry pavement. Bridges and overpasses freeze first, even when the rest of the road seems fine. Stay at least 200 feet behind snow plows and never pass them on the right.
Then there's the animal nobody sees coming. The Department of Fish and Game says more than 800 moose hit cars in Alaska each year, and that doesn't count the crashes go unreported. One study found that collisions happen about five and a much more often from December through February than in late spring. Deep snow pushes moose onto plowed roads because walking is easier there. Our long, dark evenings make it even harder to see them. Slow down where bushes and trees grow close to the road.
Here's an uncomfortable tip: Not every trip needs to be driven, and not every trip needs to be driven by you. Combine your errands and run them during daylight. Let someone else drive on stormy days. Or, better yet, carpool. Most communities have local buses, dial-a-ride services, taxis, or volunteer driver programs. Alaska 211 keeps a statewide list of what runs where. Call 211 or visit alaska211.org. If you have Medicaid, it covers local rides to medical appointments when your doctor requests approval. Grocery delivery, mail-order pharmacy, and telehealth visits can replace several trips a month without taking away anything that matters to you.
For more information, start at 511.alaska.gov and the winter driving page at dot.alaska.gov. Alaska 211 can help with rides. Your insurance agent might lower your premium if you take a defensive driving course. That's a rare case where being safe actually saves you money.
Being independent doesn't mean you have to drive. Being independent means getting where you want to go and getting there safely.
Christian M. Hartley is an Alaska resident with three decades of public safety and public service experience. He lives in Big Lake.
