Driving Tips > Safety Columns
Driving on bridges requires more care
Living in a province with many waterways means Manitobans cross a lot of bridges.
Many drivers don’t realize that bridges, overpasses and underpasses can be risky at times, especially in winter.
“Because they don’t get the benefit of whatever heat is left in the ground, bridges and overpasses tend to freeze first,” said Lou Gervino, Manager of Driver Education at Manitoba Public Insurance. “That means they can be very slippery even when the approach highway is not.”
Underpasses, too, can have slippery sections where the surface is shaded by the structure above. And some bridges are narrower than the roadway, leaving little room for driving errors.
Lou says there are common-sense rules to follow:
- Reduce your speed before going onto or under a bridge or overpass
- Leave more room between you and vehicles ahead
- Be especially watchful for signs that other drivers are having control problems
- Be aware that wind can be much stronger over the surface of high bridges and overpasses
- Do not make sudden direction changes
“You have to really be on your guard, because bridges are often narrow and leave no room to pull over when there is trouble,” said Lou. “Don’t forget that on long bridges, the peak of the arch can obscure what’s on the other side.”
Even in fine summer weather bridge surfaces can be quite slippery when wet.
For more information, watch The 60-Second Driver on CTV, or visit the following sections on this website:
- Driving to Conditions in Driving Tips
- You can access the 60-Second video on Driving to Conditions directly
