Winter Driving Safety Tips

Rs Law Offices/Our blog/Winter Driving Safety Tips

Winter Driving Safety Tips

26/12/2022

Having your winter tires installed on your car and packing a windshield scraper is a good start to being prepared to drive in the winter, but as the cold weather gets harsher, the driving conditions get worse. With this comes the tendency for some people to overcorrect or not know how to stop properly, or know how to steer when their car starts to skid. To put it simply: many good drivers are not at their best in winter weather. Here is some guidance for making sure you have a safe trip this winter.





Driving Safely in the Snow

Bad weather, poor road conditions and winter storms account for almost half a
million crashes each winter, and more than 2,000 deaths. You should practice defensive driving always, and your best bet is to stay home if you can. If you absolutely must leave where you are and drive in the snow, here are some tips:

  • Always drive slowly – you have low traction on
    snow or ice
  • Decelerate and accelerate slowly – this will
    prevent spinning out or other potential accidents
  • Increase the distance between you and the car
    ahead of you. Several car lengths – at least to five or six seconds

How to Prepare for Winter Driving

Good defensive driving is great, but you should also prepare for the worst. This means keeping your car stocked up with provisions and a robust emergency kit in case of an accident, a breakdown, being stranded, or worse.

  • Keep extra food and water in your car, along
    with warm clothes, a blanket,  a glass
    scraper, a flashlight, medications and anything else you could need if you end
    up stranded in your car
  • Keep your tires properly inflated and make sure
    they have sufficient tread
  • Make sure your car always has at least half a
    tank of fuel
  • Don’t warm your car up in a garage or any other
    enclosed area, as you run the very real and high risk of carbon monoxide
    poisoning – you cannot see or smell carbon monoxide, so you won’t know when
    it’s a problem
  • Don’t use your car’s cruise control function if
    you’re driving somewhere slippery like on snow or ice

Driving Long Distance in the Snow

If you’re going on a trip and have to drive in the snow, make sure your car is functioning. Get it checked out to make sure nothing needs to be replaced. Also, plan ahead by:

  • Checking the weather along the route you’re
    taking, and delay if the weather is going to be bad
  • Let people know when you are leaving and where
    you are going – share your route with trusted people
  • Don’t leave your vehicle if you are stuck in the
    snow, since your vehicle will be your shelter. It can be remarkably easy to
    lose track of your vehicle in a snowstorm
  • If you have to dig your vehicle out of snow,
    don’t keep going if you’re tired – take a break
  • Clear your exhaust pipe if you’re stuck in the
    snow so that exhaust and carbon monoxide don’t enter the car (it will kill you)

blogs

You might like

Bike Maintenence Checklist

For those of us who bike to work, it’s clear that riding around is more than a hobby. Biking is something that can improve your mental and physical health. It can become a way of life, because to do it right takes commitment. You need to learn the best and fastest bike routes, have all […]

11/09/2021
Read more

Ridesharing Services May Help Lower Drunk Driving Accidents

Research has been done in Chicago showing a correlation between ridesharing and drunk driving incidents. The study looks at the relationship between rideshare participants on the road and accidents over about a year’s time. It is no secret that drunk driving leads to catastrophic damages and injury on a regular basis in America. If you […]

21/02/2022
Read more

Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in the United States

Whether due to size, or footprint of the motorcycle, or sheer stability, or a combination of these factors, motorcycles are much more likely to be involved in an accident than other automobiles. Certainly, in some cases, this is a visibility issue as well, with many drivers of other automobiles not looking in their blind spots […]

06/01/2023
Read more

What to Look for When Hiring an Attorney

In Arizona and California, two big car cultures on the grow, you’re statistically more likely to be involved in some sort of motor vehicle accident or have some other legal concerns surrounding your automobile. Other injuries, like dog bites and slip and falls, are all-too common, and can be difficult to navigate with some kind […]

11/11/2022
Read more

4 Common Mistakes that Ruin Workers Compensation Claims

Thousands of workers are injured annually while at the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one worker succumbed to workplace injuries every 99 minutes in 2019, while over 99,000 others retained non-fatal injuries. Despite the prevalence of workplace injuries and the increasing number of workers compensation claims, only a few victims are usually […]

25/01/2021
Read more

Personal Injury Claims: When Do you Need a Lawyer?

In cases where there are severe injuries, toxic exposure, or malpractice, you will need a personal injury lawyer. However, there are also instances when you don’t need a lawyer. Although you might need a lawyer to represent you in court if there are complex legal issues that need to be handled, other injury claims might […]

04/01/2021
Read more

California Lemon Laws: How Exactly Do They Work?

Buying a car in California, whether brand new or slightly used is always an exciting experience. Even if you already have a few in your garage, the thought of painting the town red in a new ride is nothing but thrilling. So, it can be incredibly disappointing if your new or used car keeps on […]

14/07/2020
Read more

Cell Phones and Accidents on the Road

We have all done it. Even with the headsets, the hands-free devices, and the ability to connect your phone to your car, all of us have reached for the phone while driving. Whether it’s checking a quick text at a stoplight or messing around with your maps app while driving in a new place, the […]

20/12/2021
Read more

Tips for Pedestrian Safety

We all know that walking to work is good for your health. The benefits of fresh air, increased heart rate, and the relaxing effects of movement are well documented. It’s healthy to walk anywhere! But, what about the risks? When you hear medical advice, suggesting that you walk more, you rarely hear about the dangers […]

09/08/2021
Read more

Four Arizona Workers’ Compensation Tips

If you live in Arizona and you suffer an injury while on the job, you should know your rights, in terms of representation, potential compensation, and the laws surrounding workers’ compensation. You should make sure to seek proper medical care, as well, and be certain to keep records of communications and treatments for future reference, […]

17/07/2022
Read more

contact form

Get in touch

By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from RS Law Offices. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. View our Privacy Policy.