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

Bicycle Accidents

Bicycles may be a reliably safe mode of transportation but, as in so many accidents out in the world, the problem is not often with the mode of transportation you’re in, but how the person who hits you is traveling. Every year, more than 50,000 bicyclists are injured in collisions with automobiles. Too few of […]

28/11/2022
Read more

The Car Crash and the Headache

As we slip into the cooler months, and there is more possibility of rain, it is important to keep safe on the road. Accidents happen, especially when it is raining out there in the desert. You know how to be safe – taking extra time on slippery surfaces, making sure you have your car inspected […]

24/01/2022
Read more

Do Lemon Laws Apply in Auto Dealer Frauds

Most state and federal laws penalize fraudulent marketing, sales, and financing schemes. Knowing your rights and if the state’s lemon laws apply is critical to getting compensated. We explain more about auto dealer frauds, the different types, and the best time to hire an attorney. What is an Auto Dealer Fraud? It’s an unlawful and […]

21/12/2020
Read more

Five Helpful Facts About Dog Bites

Dog bites are not only relatively common, but they can be incredibly dangerous. If you’re bitten by a dog, you run the risk of the obvious wound to your flesh or bone, but you also are at risk for an infection, including tetanus and rabies. It can be helpful to know how to treat such […]

19/09/2022
Read more

Personal Injury Law In California

In California, many individuals fall victim to wrongful diagnosis, automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, dog bites, catastrophic injuries, nursing home negligence, train accidents, and pedestrian accidents due to other people’s carelessness.   That is why the California personal injury law is in existence. It aims at protecting the moral and legal entitlements of those injured […]

12/04/2021
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

The Most Unsafe Era for Pedestrians in 40 Years

Pedestrian safety is of utmost importance right now, and not just because pedestrians legally have the right of way in most places in the United States. Being asafer pedestrian is always key to avoiding injuries by being aware of ones surroundings and avoiding distractions, but as it stands, North Americans are not stemming the tide […]

24/02/2023
Read more

More Apps for Increased Rideshare Safety

If every ride you take is just you and an unknown driver, it doesn’t hurt to look into your safety options. And while any unsure situation could potentially turn dangerous, you can do yourself a favor by finding helpful methods for letting people know where you are and where you’re going to be, and generally […]

09/02/2023
Read more

Five Helpful Facts and Tips About Pedestrian Accidents

The pedestrian fatality rate in Arizona is more than double that of the national average, at 1.61 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people. Most of these are male pedestrians, killed at a rate of almost three times as much as female pedestrians. Keeping pedestrians safe is everyone’s job, but as a pedestrian, you should understand the […]

26/09/2022
Read more

Top 3 Benefits of Engaging a Car Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles

Top 3 Benefits of Engaging a Car Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles Being in a car accident, regardless of how minor, can be pretty devastating. So, if you’ve recently been involved in a car accident in Los Angeles and you are confused, we assure you it is completely normal to feel that way. Car accidents […]

27/07/2020
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.