'Slippery Weasel' course offers winter driving instruction

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rachel Martinez
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  Drivers had a chance to practice stopping and steering on ice Friday during the first winter driving course held on Misawa.

Project Slippery Weasel is a winter driving course offered by the 35th Fighter Wing Safety Office to all base personnel with a valid U.S. Forces Japan Form 4EJ driver's license.

"The course will teach people what to do when driving in bad road conditions and give them confidence in knowing how their vehicle will react in those conditions," said Lt. Col. Aaron Steffens, 35th FW chief of safety. "There are a lot of myths out there about driving and we'll talk about those."

Similar to the winter driving course offered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Slippery Weasel consists of a classroom lecture and hands-on driving through a designated course. In the classroom portion, students will learn how to prepare their vehicle for winter, including what to carry in a winter car kit. They will also learn about driving physics, such as how a vehicle handles in curves, acceleration and braking. Instruction will cover differences between rear-wheel, front-wheel, and all-wheel drive, as well as differences between standard brakes and anti-lock brakes.

Following the classroom instruction, students will be taken out to the Slippery Weasel road course located on Security Hill. Students will get hands-on experience in their own vehicle on braking and control techniques in hazardous winter conditions.

"Using their own vehicle, people will get hands-on experience with slips, slides and stops," said Colonel Steffens. "We'll show you exactly what's the right way to react in those conditions."

The majority of winter accidents come from people not knowing exactly what to do and how their car handles. As more people go through the course, the hope is that the number of vehicle mishaps due to icy and snowy conditions will decrease, said Staff Sgt. Scott Winstead, 35th FW ground safety technician.

"You'd be amazed at how many people never had to fully brake in their vehicle," said Colonel Steffens. The course will allow people to experience a hard-brake in their vehicle so they know what it feels like and how their vehicle responds."

Staff Sgt. Trenton Mall, 301st Intelligence Squadron, was part of the first class and was trained to be an instructor. With 12 years experience driving in the snow, he said the class was a great refresher and a real benefit for those who have little experience.

"It's a really good course for someone new to driving in snow," he said. "The class helps take that panic factor away. You'll know what to do. Having practice is the best part. "

The course is scheduled to be held every Friday, with occasional Saturday classes, throughout the winter.