I live in an area with A LOT of snow, and as a nurse, do I need an SUV?

[BlueChocolateCat]

As a little background for you:

I am a new grad RN that has accepted a position in a large hospital that is MOSTLY highway driving, about a 30 minute drive in good traffic. HOWEVER, I live in Northeast Ohio where we often get a lot of snowfall, and sometimes suddenly.

Throughout nursing school, I had a medium sized SUV with all wheel drive and good tires. Well, that SUV is over 200,000 miles and starting to become unreliable. I'm in the market for a new vehicle and I am considering purchasing a medium sized car with front wheel drive.

Only problem is, I just had a paralzying visualization of getting stuck in the driveway or in the middle of my road that is often unplowed early in the morning when I may need to be leaving for work. (I will be working day/night rotation). Of course, especially as a new grad and new hire, the last thing I want to do is start off my employment being stuck in the snow because I decided to buy a car and not an SUV. I understand that everyone finds themselves having car problems here and there; however, being a nurse, it just seems so much more important to be able to get to work on time.

My question is, does anyone have any advice for me that may have found themselves in a similar situation?

[QuiltDog]

I live in NE Ohio and have never missed work due to the snow. I get up extra early so I can shovel the driveway and allow plenty of time to get to work.

Not easy, but it can be done!

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I live in a place where we get heavy snowfall from late October right into April. My driveway is 85 feet long and has a 15° slope upwards to the garage. The city I live in doesn't clear snow off residential streets until there's a snow pack 6 inches deep. My workplace is a 30 minute drive through a neighbouring city that also doesn't clear snow with any alacrity. Part of my commute is through a ravine where the altitude changes by 800 feet over less than a mile. I drive a Kia Rondo (FWD) with all-season tires and although I've been stuck at the end of the driveway in the snow the city is responsible for a few times, it has always been at the coming-home end of my commute. The reason for that is that I back into the driveway so that when it's time for me to leave again I'm driving into the snow on the street and not backing into it.

My experience is that highway snow clearance begins early in a snowfall and is ongoing, unlike city snow removal which tends to only begin many hours after the snow has stopped falling. The main concern on the highway is the driver in the SUV or 4WD vehicles who believes they're invincible. Driving in snow is a skill that isn't enhanced in any way by 4WD. A large part of that skill is knowing how YOUR car/truck/SUV behaves in different conditions and adjusting your driving to adapt to that.

My workplace does not accept poor driving conditions as a reason for being absent. We live in a winter city and the expectation is that we plan ahead for storms. Even people who live in rural areas and work in the city are expected to be at work on time or as close to on time as possible. We're also almost never required to stay overnight at the hospital. The last time that happened was in 1997. (Our street was under about 2 1/2 feet of wind-packed snow and the only vehicle that had trouble navigating it was an SUV. We laughed quite hard when the sidewalk plow dug him out.) It only makes sense to have a blanket and some bad weather items in your vehicle in case you end up in the ditch, but that applies to everyone, not just nurses.

[firstinfamily, RN]

Most facilities where I have worked have an "inclement weather" policy. Nurses are expected to show up for their shifts no matter what. I live on the North East coastal area and even during hurricane threats we are expected to show up. The last facility I worked would not authorize PTO if it was an inclement weather day and you were scheduled to work, so you would not get paid if you were not there no matter how much time you had built up. I drive a Honda CRV which has all wheel drive. It does sit low, so not a lot of height between the road and vehicle. I make it fine back and forth to work which is about 20 minutes away. I always drive slow and leave at least an hour early to get there. I get very angry at the redneck 4 wheel drivers who speed down the highway at 70 miles an hour and cause some accident. When I did home health I had a PT Cruiser and there was a lot of snow that winter. I made it through all the back roads by going slow and staying away from the drifts. I agree with the above posts that you don't have to spend a fortune on a 4-wheel drive vehicle and you should try something that is better on mileage that will get you to where you need to go. You said you have back up plans so hopefully that will also work for you if needed.

[BlueChocolateCat]

Wow! I left the post for a couple days and there have been many responses! Thank you all!

So, it seems that there is definitely some difference in opinions regarding FWD versus 4WD.

In response to some of the general comments, I have been driving in snow since I began driving when I was sixteen. Incidentally, I guess it wasn't that long ago that I was sixteen... but I have never NOT driven in NE Ohio snow. I used to drive a 92 pontiac grand prix (favorite car! front wheel drive, not even all season tires!), and I was able to get through the snow pretty well even as a teenager. But now that I have been driving an SUV, I'm nervous about going back.

My comment regarding attendance policies is not reflecting my consideration of calling off for weather. I understand the requirements of the position and I am essential personell. I would have to figure out how to get there somehow... That comment was in regards to other hospital's "snow day" policy and whether or not other hospitals will withold from applying attendance infractions on inclement weather days for being late. I understand that simply calling off on those days is not an option.

I have played around with the idea of getting two snow tires on the front of a front wheel drive car during the winter months...

Also, I am not afraid of getting stuck AT work, but I am afraid of getting stuck going INTO work. I desperately want to be on time if at all possible, even when the weather is bad. I understand that might mean waking up early to shovel, but sometimes my road is unplowed, and that could mean I need to get through a foot of snow on the roads. Occasionally, even the highways are mostly unplowed at the time that I will be driving into work (about 5:30 am).

At this point, what I think I have decided to do is to try to get my current, worn down SUV through this winter just to gague the road care on a routine basis at 5:30 am so that I will be able to make a decision in early 2015.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

At this point, what I think I have decided to do is to try to get my current, worn down SUV through this winter just to gague the road care on a routine basis at 5:30 am so that I will be able to make a decision in early 2015.

At this point, you should keep an idea in the back of your mind about what vehicle you would buy if yours suddenly required a new engine or a new transmission or something else hideously expensive. I've had a couple vehicles over the years just up and quit on me and I needed to buy something else immediately!

[BlueChocolateCat]

Yes, that is also part of my plan. I will continue researching and test driving vehicles so I at least have one or two in mind in case I need to buy something quickly.