Michelin offers (anti) crash course on winter driving online

LAVAL, Que. — Visit www.michelinwintercenter.com and get schooled.

The Michelin Tire people have produced an online winter driving course just in time for lousy-road season and although it’s not aimed at commercial drivers, everybody can use a little cold-weather readiness.

The program is engaging, educational and fun. And it could save your life.

Even better, if you go online, poke around the site and then take one of the little tests, you get a chance to win $2,500 worth of free stuff.

And even better, just by passing one of the quickie online tests you get a Qualified Winterproof Driver certificate that you can wave in the face of any passenger who offers unsolicited driving tips from the comfort of the passenger seat, if you catch our drift.

The online training program was based on a recent survey that reveals that the things Canadian drivers have most problems with in the winter are black ice, loss of control, other drivers and inclement weather. (Editor’s note: When, we ask, is the weather just plain clement?)

The videos and animations and quizzes take you through each of those problem areas and we at www.todaystrucking.com have taken the online course and feel safer and smugger already.

To make it even more interesting, Michelin has engaged the pro race car driver Richard Spenard to offer some simple driving tips in interactive video clips.

Says Spenard: “With the online Winter Driving Academy, Canadian drivers now have access to simple tips and tricks that will enable them to take the wheel with confidence, whatever surprises the weather may have in store.”

We could tell you more about Michelin’s cool course but since you’re already online, check it out yourself.