• February 04, 2020
  • Blog

Winter weather can make road conditions especially dangerous, so make sure to follow these tips for winter driving.

Colorado weather is infamous for how rapidly it can change and winter weather is no exception. The best you can do is be prepared for tricky and sometimes dangerous driving conditions. Follow these tips to drive safe this winter:

Check your vehicle before you head out.

Be sure to inspect your vehicle before heading out in poor weather conditions to ensure it’s in safe operating condition. You’ll want to check the heater/defroster, windshield wiper fluid, wiper blades, headlights, full gas tank, tire tread, battery, and brakes. Make sure to always keep an ice scraper in your car and fully scrape your windshield and windows.

Keep emergency supplies in your vehicle.

In the case you do get stuck or stranded, you’ll want to have a car stocked with winter weather essentials. These items include a flashlight, jumper cables, extra warm clothes, blankets, kitty litter or salt (for traction purposes), flares, a first aid kit, and – of course – an ice scraper. 

Pay attention to your vehicle’s traction.

Make sure your tires have good traction before you take to roads covered in ice and slippery snow. There is no such thing as “4 wheel drive braking” so even a 4 wheel drive vehicle will need to accelerate and brake as carefully as a 2 wheel drive vehicle. Starting and stopping your car gradually in snowy weather helps maintain traction and avoids slipping and getting stuck. Pro tip: Try keeping a bag of kitty litter in your car to pour over ice if your car gets stuck.

Broken on a snowy winter road.

Brake gently.

It’s important to know what kind of brakes your vehicle has. If it’s cold enough, you run the risk of locking your wheels and sending your vehicle into a skid if you brake too hard. Instead, gently pumping your disk brakes allows you to slow down while avoiding locking your wheels. Anti-lock brakes will provide this service for you, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the brakes on your car.

Steer into the skid.

If your vehicle begins to skid on a slippery surface, remove your foot from the brake and steer into the direction your car is skidding towards. This may seem counter-intuitive, but steering into the skid steadies your vehicle and allows you to regain control and proceed to straighten out.

SLOW DOWN!

This may seem obvious, but most accidents occur when people are going too fast for the winter driving conditions. When faced with slower traffic speeds, some reckless drivers will pull out and accelerate around other drivers. This only increases the risk for an accident, so SLOW DOWN. Incorporate more time into your schedule for your commute. Anticipate traffic delays.

Use your low beams.

If you’re driving in bad enough winter weather conditions, your visibility can be incredibly bad. Instead of using your brights and getting blinded by the reflection of the snow, put on your low beam headlights to navigate to your destination.

Colorado winters can be brutal, so following these winter driving tips will help you stay safer on the roads. If you or a family member is injured in a reckless driving accident, call us. The attorney team at Galperin & Associates know that all accidents are different and are here to help you maximize your right to recovery. Contact us today at 720-501-3451 to speak to an attorney.

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Written and Legally Reviewed ByJacob Galperin

Jacob Galperin is a litigation attorney with an emphasis in personal injury. He has represented hundreds of injured victims and has been able to recover millions in compensation for his clients.

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