06 Feb Winter Driving Tips: How to Drive Safely in the Wintertime

Winter is well under way. With a couple months of Winter left, we can still expect snowfalls and dropping temperatures in our future. For driver’s on Long Island, winter weather means dangerous driving. To drive on snow and icy roads involves careful driving, sharp focus, and a vehicle that can handle it. But many of us just aren’t ready for this kind of weather, and that can be our downfall. According to the NHTSA, 17% of all vehicle crashes occur during winter conditions, meaning the winter weather played a role in the accident occurring.

To help counteract the very serious hazards we deal with, here are some tips to keep in mind to help us be as safe as possible this winter.

Prepare Your Vehicle Ahead of Time

It’s very important to make sure your vehicle is up to date. Keep an eye on your car’s battery, a dead battery is the last thing you want to discover on a freezing cold morning. Make an assessment of your windshield wipers and wiper fluid so your windshield stays clear of road salt and dirt. It’s also helpful for nighttime rain that happens every so often. Bad wipers in the rain at night can almost be blinding.

The next thing to assess is your tires. You will want to make sure that they are properly inflated with an acceptable thread depth. Use the penny test, if the top of Lincoln’s head can hide between the ribs of the thread, your tires are good. If you’re planning on using snow tires, you want to get them installed before the snow begins to fall.

If you want to head out after it has snowed, don’t forget to clean off your vehicle’s roof. Otherwise when you drive, there will be snow flying behind you and could easily distract you and other drivers. Even further, if you don’t remove snow from your vehicle you can actually get a hefty fine in New York.

Check the Weather Conditions Before Heading Out
The sky looks rather dark and stormy. There’s a chill in the air. Is it going to snow? Know before you go!

Check the road conditions as well as the weather before heading out, you’ll have an idea of what to expect on the road. If there is unusually high traffic on highways, you can leave a few minutes earlier or avoid taking that road altogether. Although some cars are better equipped for winter weather, it’s important to remember that even in these cases icy roads are always dangerous. Always drive with extreme caution if there could be ice on the road.

Don’t Get Distracted!

Distracted has always been an unsafe practice, but the rise in technology has caused it to increase consistently over the past decade(distracted driving page). In 2016, over 3000 people died from a distracted driving accident and almost four hundred thousand were injured. Distracted driving is a big problem in it of itself, add snow to the mix, and you chances of a bad accident skyrocket.

You may also want to avoid driving while fatigued. According to the NHTSA, drowsy driving causes over one hundred thousand accidents, and have resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries. So grab a cup of coffee before you head out if you are feeling sleepy as fatigue is another major driving distraction.

Prepare for an Emergency

It happens in the best of times – a flat tire, a bucking car, even mysterious smoke can cause you to pull over to the side of the road. When your vehicle breaks down in the winter, you not only have to deal with the car but the elements as well. So it’s best to be prepared.

Having emergency equipment like jumper cables, flares and emergency lights may come in handy during a worse case scenario. Having a flashlight and a blanket isn’t a bad idea either, in case you need to wait for help. Even if you never need to use these tools, having them handy also opens the door to come to the aid of someone who does.

When You Get in a Car Accident

Unfortunately, sometimes accidents do happen and they are at no fault of your own. If you do find yourself in an accident, these steps are crucial.

• Call 911 as soon as possible
• Get the name and contact information of everyone involved in the crash
• Take pictures of the damage to your vehicle and the scene of the accident
• Never admit fault to anyone
• Seek medical attention if you are in any kind of pain

By keeping these tips in mind, you should have no trouble on the roadways this winter. But if you do run into trouble this winter, before talking to your insurance company you should speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer to help you with your claim.