Driving in winter is inherently more dangerous than at any other time of the year. Cold temperatures mean worse storms and the threat of ice on the roads. If you travel long distances, then getting stranded also offers greater dangers than if you were stuck at the side of the road during the summer months.
Staying safe in winter means being prepared and you can be prepared using these five tips:
Change Your Tires
First tip is the most obvious (but life can get in the way) and that is to prepare your car for the winter. By changing your tires to winter tires, you can help give your car better traction on the road, even in icy conditions. If you live in an area where many of the roads you use aren’t maintained properly or at all, then you may even want to invest in snow chains.
Ensure You Have a Great Winter Kit in Your Car
You need a comprehensive winter kit in your car. This kit should include an ice scraper, a shovel, a flare, a flashlight, a first-aid kit, items to make a fire, a blanket, and so on. You need equipment to help you in these situations:
1. You are snowed in.
2. You are stuck at the side of the road and need to stay warm while waiting for roadside assistance.
3. You need to be able to quickly clean and bandage a wound.
Brush Up On Proactive and Defensive Driving Measures
Defensive driving is the best way to drive at any time of the year, but winter is when you should brush up on the ‘how to’s. Update yourself with top tips on how to drive defensively and what to watch out for, and how to adapt your defensive driving strategy for cold and icy conditions. From increasing the amount of space you keep between yourself and the drivers in front of you, to being extra careful around large snowbanks, there are many ways your defensive driving will change to accommodate the winter.
Have a Go-To Accident Attorney
It is impossible to prevent every auto accident because you aren’t always going to be in control of the outcome. Another driver can cause the accident, an unexpected medical emergency can cause an accident, and so on. That is why it is actually better to know which car accident attorney you will be going with in advance. That way, if you do get into an accident, you know exactly who to call without a delay. For example, having Kreeger Law in your phone in advance can mean a simple click after your accident to start the legal process of building your compensation case.
Leave Early
Rushing on dangerous roads is an easy way to get into an accident, so the last tip of the day is to leave early, or to simply accept that you are going to be late. Your life and the safety of yourself and others is not worth rushing on unsafe roads for. Leave early so that you can adapt to the road conditions, whatever they may be.
Very good tips. I have just about given up on driving long distances in the winter.
These are all good tips. The only one I do not do/have is an accident attorney on my phone. Before I retired I would always leave a lot of extra time on bad weather days.
Well out of all of these the only one I did/do “Leave Early” I am retired now so I don’t have to get up and out on the road early to get to work. The one thing I would add is drive the speed on the continue of the road. Over the years I would drive slow and safely and some one would pass me. And it would make me smile when I pass them down the road sitting in a ditch.
This was super informative to read and really gave me some important reminders. We may get some snow on Thursday and we are so ready it’s been 60 degrees here and that is horrible. We need a good snow pack for next year.