Thousands of people around the country are injured and even die due to the severity of injuries sustained during road accidents, many from a lack of simple driving safety. The number of injuries and deaths skyrocket during winter. During extreme weather you should limit your driving to when it is necessary and even then, wait until road workers have cleared the road.
Winter Driving Safety Tips
You should be careful not to leave your departure point too late. Driving fast during winter to arrive at your destination quickly can only mean trouble for you, the passengers in your car and the other drivers on the road.
Driving Safety Tips When Driving On Icy Roads
You cannot tell the condition of other vehicles on the road or the driver’s mental state or how well that person can drive in winter conditions. This means that you should put some distance between you and other motorists. Three times the space that you usually leave between you and motorists is advisable.
Turning your lights on to improve your visibility is also a GREAT idea! When you manually turn on your headlights this means your rear lights are on as well. Most vehicle’s DAYTIME RUNNING lights only light up your headlights NOT your taillights. This is also a great tip when driving in heavy rain. So make it easier for people to see you and manually turn on your headlights so your taillights are on too! – BUT don’t forget to turn them off!
You need to drive more carefully than usual:
- Don’t use cruise control in icy or rainy conditions.
- When slowing down, you should step on your brakes very gently to avoid skidding off the road. Remember to ease off your brakes if the wheels begin to lock up.
- Never forget to use low gears so that you can keep traction. This traction is especially important if you are heading up or down hills.
Driving Safety Tips When the Rear Wheels Of Your Car Skid
- Let off the gas and steer the car in the direction you want the car to go in.
- Steer your car left if the rear wheels are skidding to the left and vice versa.
- Do not steer the car forcefully.
- Be easy with it and use as much energy as the situation calls for.
- Pump your brakes gently as always.
Driving Safety Tips When You’re Stuck In the Snow
- Turn your wheels from side to side a couple of times. This pushes the snow out of the way. You can also try shoveling the snow away from the wheels and the car’s underside.
- Accelerate slowly to gently ease your car out of the snow.
- Pour some sand, salt and/or gravel in the wheel’s path to help get traction if easing out of the snow fails. If you do this, watch out for flying debris if you start spinning.