Snow, ice and winter weather can make for treacherous driving conditions. A sudden loss of traction can be a harrowing experience, even for seasoned drivers and those who are familiar with cold weather conditions. Learning to better control your car on icy roads can make a life-saving difference.
Reduce Your Speed
A slower rate of speed can provide you with additional time to react and may serve to lessen the impact of a collision. Losing control of the vehicle is far more likely at higher speeds to learning to drive slower on the snow and ice is essential. Driving at or above the posted speed limit on an icy road could be far more dangerous than you might suspect.
Visibility is Essential
Poor visibility is a leading cause of accidents. Fog, heavy snowfall and other winter weather conditions can reduce visibility greatly and drivers may need to take steps to address the situation. Low-beam headlights, early use of a turn signal and even using your vehicle’s hazard lights in order to raise its profile and increase visibility may all be necessary steps for dealing with the weather.
Recovering from a Skid
There are situations where no amount of caution may be sufficient. Hitting a patch of black ice can cause your vehicle to loose traction without warning. Taking your foot off the accelerator and steering into the turn may seem counter-intuitive, but it is the correct way to recover from a skid. Drivers who have yet to master this skill are far more likely to need the services of a body shop, car accident attorney like Siben & Siben LLP or even an ambulance should they try to test their luck on icy roads.
Avoiding Unsafe Driving Conditions
The safest course of action is often to just avoid hazardous driving conditions entirely. Changing your plans, taking an alternate route or waiting for the roads to clear can often be well worth the delay or inconvenience. The hazards associated with driving in the ice and snow are not to be taken lightly.
Winter weather can become a major obstacle, especially for drivers who lack experience driving on icy roads. Slowing down, increasing visibility and knowing how to recover in the event of a skid can all help to minimize the risks associated with cold weather driving conditions. Staying safe whenever you are behind the wheel is of a paramount importance, especially when dealing with less than optimal road conditions.