Updated 2/12/2021. Snowstorm 2021 is here. Get your car ready. Here are tips for safe deliveries during a snowstorm

I just caught words that an ‘unusually strong’ winter storm is about to hit Portland and much of the Pacific Northwest. This brings back memories of last January when there was a snowstorm. I was delivering for Caviar and Postmates and it was a nightmare. Some scary stuff went down.

I was slipping and sliding on the ice, up porches, and into restaurants. My car was slow as a turtle and at moments glided on the ice like I was drifting in Toyko. Trimet buses were abandoned in the middle of the road with emergency lights on. All over Portland. I saw an EcoCab with emergency lights on in NW Portland because the driver had crashed into a parked vehicle. I felt so bad for the driver. Why? Because EcoCab uses Model S Teslas for their cabs. Yup. I think that driver was in big doo-doo with the boss.

When the temperature drops and the snow starts falling, people will opt to stay in. That means more demand for food delivery. People who drive to earn a living like couriers drivers has to be very careful. Snow and ice create demand for food delivery but also extremely dangerous driving conditions.

Here are some of the driving safety tips that will help you to stay safe on the road during a snowstorm.

Prepare Your Vehicle

• Check your antifreeze levels – make sure you have enough.
• Check your brakes for wear and fluid levels.
• Make sure batteries are charged up.
• Fill up the gas tank and keep it at least half full. This prevents the fuel line from freezing.
• Check to see if the heater and defroster are working properly.
• Make sure lights and flashing hazard lights are working.
• Check your oil level and weight. Heavier oils solidify at low temperatures and do not lubricate as well.
• Make sure your windshield wiper is good and check the washer fluid level.
• Check your tires to see if your tires are suitable. Look for a sidewall mark of M+S (or M/S, M&S, MS). There will be a mountain with a snowflake in it. This means all-season tire and is approved for driving in mud and snow by the Rubber Manufacturer’s Association (RMA).

• Check tire tread. If you need to, chain your tires.
• Update your emergency kit with the following items:
  • Shovel
  • Windshield scraper
  • Flashlight & batteries
  • Water and snack food
  • Tow chain
  • Booster cables
  • Fluorescent distress flag
  • Extra socks, mitten, hat, and blankets.

What To Wear

• Wear several layers of loose-fitting clothes rather than one heavy layer.
• Prevent losing heat from your extremities. Wear mittens and ensure your ankles are warm with layers of socks.
• Preventing loss of body heat from your head is critical. Cover your head with a hat, beanie, or hood.
• Protect your lungs by covering your mouth with a scarf.

What To Do While Driving

• Go slow. It is very important to deliver the food on time. However, you should not forget that your safety is more important than someone’s pizza getting cold.
• Keep a good distance from other cars so you’ll have more room to maneuver if something happens ahead of you.
• If your vehicle starts to slide on the ice or snow, slow down and turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, and then gradually straighten it as the car recovers.
• Don’t slam your brakes. If you slam your brakes too hard in the snow then it might cause your car to lose traction all of a sudden. You should apply brake slowly, and, firmly, so that you have more control over your car’s deacceleration.
• I recommend using Waze for navigation so you’ll get real-time traffic updates during the snowstorm.

What To Do As A Courier

• Check for company updates. Typically the logistics and dispatch team for each on-demand platform will make real-time decisions so make sure you stay tuned into their communications.
• Report any problems that may affect delivery to dispatch and or logistics so they can keep other couriers safe.
• Throughout a delivery, communicate with the customer about your progress. If something bad happens, the customer knows where you are via the app. This could be a lifesaver so make sure you have this line of communication.
• Maximize your chance of a big tip. Text the customer and tell them you’re going slow to be safe under horrendous driving conditions. To earn their empathy and increase your chance of a large tip, use unnecessary words to create an image of your life at risk. Exaggerate the danger with outrageous descriptions like “blinding blizzard”, “powerful snowstorm”, “pounding wind”, “devastated traffic”, “snowpocalypse”, “road littered with abandoned cars”. I totally did this last year and it works.

In Case You Get Stuck In The Snowstorm

Stay in your car. It provides shelter. Then tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna to signal distress. Keep the dome light on at night. It only uses very little electricity and will rescuers find you.

Good luck out there and stay safe.