Winter is here! The joys of this beautiful season include the hitting the ski slopes, hot chocolate, and peppermint bark however, with the good comes the bad. The bad is that sometimes snowstorms occur! Snow can be tough to navigate! Snow and slick ice on the road can cause drivers to become nervous and distracted.
Because we want you to be safe, we’ve put together a list of some precautions you can take to ensure that you are as safe as possible when navigating snow covered streets and highways.
We hope that they help you avoid having a serious accident this winter.
Sometimes, despite taking every precaution accidents still happen. If you are in an accident and need help, we at Iddins Law Group are just a phone call or email away!
Phone #: 253-854-1244
Email: info@iddinslaw.com
1. Get Winter Tires – Winter tires help with traction on cold, icy roads and shorten your braking distance by up to 25%! If you have all-season tires, at least check the tread to make sure there is enough to get a good grip on the road.
2. Make sure your car, including all windows and lights, is clear of snow before you leave – you want to have full visibility while driving and make sure the headlights and taillights are clear so that you are visible to others.
3. Keep more space between you and the car in front of you – you don’t know when another vehicle may lose control or have to make an emergency stop. Be aware that your vehicle will not stop as fast as when you are on dry, warm roads.
4. Don’t speed – the faster you go, the more likely you are to lose control or be unable to stop in time. This is especially important when attempting to make a turn.
5. Don’t use cruise control – cruise control is great when road conditions are excellent, but when conditions are questionable, using the cruise control can lead to loss of control of your vehicle and slower reaction times when faced with an emergency.
6. Learn how to control your vehicle while in a skid – understand how your vehicle operates (rear wheel drive, front wheel drive, four-wheel drive, etc.) to better understand how to react if your vehicle starts to skid during bad road conditions.
7. Check the road conditions before you leave and plan accordingly – give yourself extra time to get to your destination and plan the safest route for you to travel when winter conditions are going to get bad.
We know many of these tips are common sense, but we are here to remind you of safety practices you should be implementing on the road in bad weather conditions. Many of these tips can and should also be applied on rain-heavy days as well.
If you were involved in a car accident with another vehicle due to snow, contact us immediately for a free consultation at (253) 854-1244.
