Driving in the winter months can be stressful, especially in snow or icy conditions. By getting your vehicle ready for winter and using these simple safety tips, you can face the weather Mother Nature sends your way. Here are a few safety tips from the National Safety Council to prepare you for winter driving.
Prepare your car for winter:
· Check the tire pressure as tire pressure drops with the temperature
· Check your wiper blades and replace them if needed
· Add wiper fluid
· Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze
· Check the tread on your tires and replace them if the tread is less than 2/32 of an inch
· Test your battery as battery power drops with the temperature
· Keep an emergency preparedness kit stocked
Before driving:
· Clean your car’s external camera lenses and side-view mirrors
· Remove dirt, ice, and snow around your car
· In frigid weather, warm up the car before you drive it
· To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, never leave a vehicle running in your garage- even with the garage door up
· If the weather forecast looks uncertain, wait out the storm if possible
· If you must travel, share your travel plans and route with someone before you leave
AAA offers the following driving tips on how to avoid a crash:
· Avoid using cruise control in icy conditions
· Steer in the direction of a skid, so when your wheels regain traction, you don’t have to overcorrect to stay in your lane
· Accelerate and decelerate slowly
· Increase the following distance between cars to eight to ten seconds
· If possible, do not stop while going uphill
· If visibility is severely limited due to a whiteout, pull off the road to a safe place until conditions improve
If you have been injured in an auto accident, the experienced attorneys at Kimmel Carter are here to help. For a free legal consultation, call 302-565-6100.
