Winter Driving and Chain Laws: A Trucker's Survival Guide

Winter driving tests every part of a trucking operation: the driver, the truck and the plan. Snow, ice and closed passes can turn a profitable load into days of delays, and chain laws add rules that change from state to state.

This guide covers how chain laws work, how to prepare your truck, how to drive in winter conditions and how winter affects your hours. Chain laws and traction rules are set by states and can change, so check each state's department of transportation before you run their mountain routes.

How chain laws work

There is no single national chain law. Each state sets its own rules, and they usually work in two ways:

• Carry requirements. Some states require commercial vehicles to carry chains on certain routes during the winter season, even on clear days.
• Use requirements. When conditions get bad, the state posts chain controls or traction law levels, and trucks must chain up before continuing.

States with major mountain passes in the West, such as California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, are known for active chain and traction rules, but rules can apply elsewhere too. Many states use tiered levels, where higher levels require more vehicles to chain or close the road to trucks.

Penalties for not carrying chains or not chaining when required can be significant, and higher if your truck blocks the road. Check each state's DOT site and the posted signs on approach.

Chain-up basics

• Use designated chain-up areas. Never chain up in a travel lane.
• Wear high-visibility clothing, gloves and a headlamp.
• Lay chains out flat, drape them over the tire, drive forward slightly and fasten them tight.
• Re-tighten after a short distance, and keep your speed low with chains on.
• Remove chains in a chain removal area once conditions allow.

Practice at home before the season. Learning to chain in a blizzard at night is how drivers get hurt.

Prepare your truck before winter

Use this checklist in the fall:

• [ ] Fuel: use winter-blend diesel where available, carry an anti-gel additive and add it before the fuel cools
• [ ] Fuel filters: replace them and carry a spare, since gelled fuel often shows up as a clogged filter
• [ ] Air system: service the air dryer and drain air tanks regularly to keep moisture from freezing in lines and valves
• [ ] Batteries and charging: test batteries and clean terminals
• [ ] Block heater: confirm it works if your truck has one
• [ ] Tires: check tread depth and pressure; cold weather lowers pressure
• [ ] Wipers and fluid: winter blades and fluid rated for freezing temperatures
• [ ] Lights: clean and working, plus a brush to clear snow and ice
• [ ] DEF: know how your system handles freezing and keep fresh DEF on hand
• [ ] Chains: the right size for your tires, plus repair links, bungees and tensioners

Our truck maintenance schedule and pre-trip inspection checklist cover the rest. Set money aside for winter repairs before the season starts.

Winter emergency kit

If you get stuck on a closed highway, you could be there for many hours. Keep these in the cab:

• Warm clothes, boots, gloves, hat and a sleeping bag or heavy blanket
• Several days of water and non-perishable food
• Flashlight or headlamp with spare batteries
• Phone chargers and a backup power bank
• First aid kit and any medications you need
• Ice scraper, snow brush and a small shovel
• Sand or traction mats
• Warning triangles and flares
• Extra fuel filter and anti-gel additive

Driving in winter conditions

Slow down and add space

Reduce speed well below the limit on snow and ice, and greatly increase following distance. Federal regulations require extreme caution in hazardous conditions and say a driver should stop when conditions become dangerous enough. A truck needs far more distance to stop on ice than on dry pavement.

Watch for black ice

Bridges, overpasses, shaded curves and areas near water freeze first. Watch for spray from other vehicles: if it disappears while the road still looks wet, the road may have turned to ice. Check outside temperature readings often.

Avoid jackknifes

• Brake gently and early; avoid sudden steering inputs.
• Be extra careful with an empty or light trailer, which is more likely to swing out.
• Follow your manufacturer's guidance on the engine brake on slick roads.
• Do not use cruise control on snow or ice.

Know when to stop

If visibility drops, trucks are sliding off the road or the road is closing, find safe parking and wait. Tell your broker or dispatcher early. A late load is far better than a crash or a cargo claim. Plan stops in advance with our guide to truck parking and trip planning.

Winter and hours of service

Delays in winter eat into your clock. The federal adverse driving conditions exception can allow up to 2 additional hours of driving and can extend the 14-hour window by up to 2 hours. It only applies to conditions like snow, ice or unusual road conditions that you did not know about, and could not reasonably have known about, when you started your trip or shift. Forecast storms you could have planned around may not qualify. Confirm the current wording with FMCSA before you rely on it, and annotate your log when you use it.

Planning winter freight

• Check forecasts for the whole route, not just the pickup.
• Build buffer time into appointments and tell the broker about expected weather delays before you book.
• Price the risk. Mountain lanes in winter can mean slower miles, chain-up time and closures. Your rate should reflect that. Run the numbers with the load profitability calculator.
• Protect reefer and temperature-sensitive freight from freezing as carefully as you would from heat.

How Texas Solutions can help

Texas Solutions is a dispatch service, not a broker or motor carrier. Our dispatchers find and negotiate loads, handle broker packets and paperwork 24/7, and watch weather on your lanes so appointments leave room for safe winter driving. You approve every load. See our dispatch services or talk to a dispatcher.

Frequently asked questions