7 Winter Weather Driving Tips That Could Save Your Life
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I understand how nerve-wracking it is to drive in winter weather. There’s a good reason for the anxiety – ice and snow prevent you from maintaining control of your vehicle. Please share this post with your friends.
If everyone follows these winter weather driving tips, the roads will be so much safer.
Drive Slowly
Most accidents in winter conditions are caused by excess speed. Stopping a car will take a much further distance in winter weather than dry roads. Steering and control can be difficult as well. It’s important to plan the additional time when traveling in winter conditions.
Keep A Safe Distance
Driving aggressive and close to the vehicle in front of you is never a good idea. Winter weather makes this an even worse idea. Make sure the distance between you and the car in front of you is enough that you could stop if something unexpected happens.
Use Excellent Tires
Tires are what keeps you in control of a car. Tires with little or no tread will lose grip on the road and likely cause an accident. Moving, stopping, and turning are all reliant on the contact and friction between a tire and the road. Take time to check tires before winter weather hits and replace them if needed.
Stay Home
The most simple yet profound way to stay safe in winter weather conditions is to limit travel to moments when it is absolutely necessary. If you can survive until tomorrow without that gallon of milk and loaf of bread simply stay home and get it after the roads are cleaned up.
Scrape Windshields and Mirrors Completely
This may sound silly but completely scrape all windows and mirrors when driving in winter weather. The small patch that you can barely see through simply will not give a complete view of what’s going on around you. It’s impossible to avoid hazards around you if you cannot see them.
Keep Gas Tank Full
An almost empty tank can allow condensation to form inside of it and lead to moisture in the fuel system. In cold weather conditions, this could freeze and cause damage to the fuel lines or completely block the flow of gas to the engine. Another risk is being stranded in freezing conditions if you would run out of gas.
Use anti-lock brakes correctly
Anti-lock brakes apply and release the pressure on the brakes when a locked up wheel is detected. When a wheel loses all traction, the brakes will cause the wheel to lock up and stop spinning completely and suddenly. Anti-lock brakes detect this lock up and release pressure from the brakes to allow the wheel to spin. Pressure is then reapplied as released in cycles to keep the wheel spinning but still slow the car. The cycle can be felt by the driver as a pulsing in the pedal. It’s important to just keep the pressure on the brake pedal and allow the system to work.
I hope these 7 tips help you. Just drive slowly and keep a clear head, you’ll be plenty safe.
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