In the depths of winter, many people look forward to spring for its warmer weather and easier driving conditions. Even though spring roads can be better than winter ones, this season still has its challenges. Learning to drive in spring is an important skill that all drivers should know.

When the weather begins to warm up, vehicle owners may be tempted to prepare their vehicles for summer roads. However, as Ian Law of the Wheels.ca website notes, people should not be too quick to do that. Winter tires, for example, are the best choice for traction on the road until temperatures consistently reach above seven degrees Celsius.

Many parts of Canada can still have ice and snow until quite late in spring, and drivers should be careful to watch for roads that may be more slippery than they appear. Often, this is made worse as the temperature varies between freezing and thawing, sometimes in the same day. These fluctuations cause concrete to crack and potholes to form, making it difficult to drive. Although potholes can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles, swerving out of the way can be equally dangerous.

Sand and gravel used for traction in winter can have the opposite effect in spring until the roads are cleaned up. Tires can begin to skid on loose gravel, while other debris left over from winter can also cause problems on the road. When melting snow combines with spring rains, it can flood the streets and potentially cause accidents.

Melting Snow and Potholes

Drivers need to be careful with melting snow on the roads, especially if the water is deep enough to hide the pavement underneath. Deep potholes or cracks in the pavement can be concealed under the water, which can cause unwary drivers to lose control of their vehicles. On gravel roads, drivers need to be especially careful to stay away from the edges if possible, as erosion over the winter can cause parts of the road to become unstable.   

In these conditions, driving carefully and staying within the speed limit are important. Checking the road ahead for large puddles or visible potholes can help drivers plan their next move, whether that involves slowing down significantly or changing lanes to avoid a possible problem. Staying far enough behind other vehicles is also important as their wheels may kick up water or dirt from the roads, which can spray onto the windshields of passing vehicles or create a slippery patch on the pavement.

As the weather warms up, more people tend to come out onto the road, including cyclists and pedestrians. Small children may run across the street unexpectedly, while cyclists may suddenly hit an icy patch or need to swerve to avoid debris at the side of the road. Drivers should be especially careful near dawn and dusk to watch for pedestrians in dark clothes who may be hard to see. In areas near parks or wilderness areas, drivers also need to be alert for animals that might cross the road at any point.

Time Change and Sleep Deprivation

The March time change is also an issue for anyone on the road. According to University of British Columbia researcher Stanley Coren, the time change initially adds to the sleep deprivation that is already an issue in Canada’s busy society. With drivers feeling tired as they also try to adjust to the changing amounts of light in the morning and evening, this issue could make the roads more dangerous than at other times of the year.

As the weather warms up, drivers may wish to get outside more often to go on short excursions to a park, or even book more appointments that they may have avoided in the colder weather. As the Canada Safety Council advises, planning is essential for any kind of trip, whether for going to work or travelling out of town.

Finding alternate routes is important at any time of the year, but it can be essential in spring when construction projects get underway and regular routes may be blocked or slow. Observing the speed limit is necessary, even if other drivers are not doing the same.

The weather can be very unpredictable in spring. A late snowfall or spring melt can make the roads unexpectedly hazardous, and drivers need to be prepared for whatever conditions they may encounter. As the Workplace Safety & Prevention Services website notes, some parts of Ontario can continue to experience snow and ice well into spring. This can cause treacherous driving conditions on many roads.

Water and Washed-Out Roads

A late snowfall can be especially problematic for drivers. If the weather warms up quickly after a storm, the rapidly melting snow can cause the roads to flood. Heavy spring rains can also damage roads, as they did in Banff, Alberta in June 2013. With the ground still frozen or barely thawing in spring, any heavy rainfall can easily overwhelm the drainage systems, causing the water to flow out onto the streets rather than being absorbed into the soil. 

With its cold winters and heavy snowfalls in many areas, Ontario can be quite prone to the troubles of washed-out roads in spring. In April 2019, for example, the Ottawa Citizen reported that flooding, combined with construction, had caused roads and ferries to close until the water would recede. Although these kinds of weather-related problems can happen at other times of the year, spring in Canada is especially prone to flooding.

With the possibility of washed-out roads and flooding, drivers need to be especially careful about unpaved shoulders or gravel roads. These areas are the most likely to become dangerously soft in wet conditions, and wheels can easily sink down into the gravel. Even the ground under paved roads can wear away, as it did near Banff in 2013, and drivers should be careful to watch for any cracks in the pavement that could indicate a sinkhole.

The warming weather in spring might tempt drivers to throw off the caution that they exercised in winter, but the season has its own hazards. With care, however, drivers can learn to manage the issues and to be safe on the changing roads in the spring season.