Winter weather can create treacherous road conditions. If you must travel in bad weather, follow these tips to stay safe.
Get Your Vehicle Ready for Winter
Make sure that your car is in good overall condition. Get the oil and other fluids replaced as recommended and have a mechanic check for problems and make any repairs that are necessary.
Inspect the treads on your tires and check them regularly to make sure that they’re inflated to the appropriate pressure. If your region tends to get heavy snowfall, consider investing in snow tires.
Visibility is always important, but especially during a winter storm. Make sure that your headlights are working properly, check your wiper blades, and top off your windshield washer fluid.
If you find yourself caught in a storm, the last thing you want is to run out of gas. Keep your tank at least half-full at all times.
Stay Home If You Can
During a winter storm, it’s best to stay off the roads as much as possible. That can give crews space to remove snow and treat the roads and keep the number of accidents down.
Use Caution If You Go Out
If you must travel during a winter storm, be careful. Plan your route so that you travel on main roads as much as possible. They’ll be the first to get plowed, and someone will be likely to come to your aid quickly if you get involved in an accident.
Before you set out on your trip, remove snow and ice from your vehicle. That will make it easier for you to see and will also prevent snow from flying off your car toward another vehicle.
Give yourself extra time to get to your destination. Drive slowly, especially when turning corners and approaching intersections. Accelerate and slow down gradually to avoid skidding.
Even if you’re an experienced and cautious driver and your vehicle can handle poor road conditions, the same may not be true of others. Be on the lookout for motorists who are traveling too fast or who don’t have as much experience driving in bad weather. Leave plenty of space between your car and other vehicles to reduce the risk of a collision.
Assemble an Emergency Kit
If you don’t already have an emergency kit in your vehicle, that can be one of the best investments you’ll ever make. Even if you drive cautiously in winter weather, something can still go wrong.
Your emergency kit should include items that can help if you get involved in an accident or your car breaks down. A tow rope, jumper cables, flares and a flashlight are essentials. An emergency kit should also contain things that can help you stay safe if you get stranded in poor weather, such as warm clothes, a blanket, nonperishable food, and water.
