Protect yourself as you drive this winter.
As a driver, it’s important to anticipate how changing weather conditions affect your risk for accidents. Additionally, you need to take precautions to address your risk and keep the roadways safe. As winter introduces some serious weather hazards, here’s what you can do to stay safe behind the wheel.
- Make sure that your car is properly prepared for extreme winter driving conditions. This means repairing or replacing cracked windows, switching over to heavy-duty winter tires, filling up your engine fluids, testing your battery, and updating your car emergency kit.
- When driving in poor conditions, slow down. The posted speed limit is only applicable when conditions are clear, and temperatures are 50 degrees or higher. If conditions are worse than this, then you should reduce your speed to keep yourself and other motorists safe.
- When you are driving on slick roads, you need three times more stopping distance than you would if street conditions were normal. So, as you drive, make sure you are leaving a sizeable gap between your car and the car in front of you.
- Always carry a cell phone and a portable charger with you. This way, you can immediately call for help if you get into an accident or witness another driver getting into an accident.
- Avoid using cruise control during the winter. When you have your cruise control on, it can make you slower to react to patches of ice or slick conditions, increasing your chance of skidding and getting into an accident.
- Leave for destinations earlier so you can take extra time as you drive. This way, you can account for traffic, unexpected road hazards, and other delays. This will reduce your urge to speed or drive recklessly to make up for lost time.
Take these precautions to drive safely this winter. Want another way to stay safe behind the wheel? Then make sure you have the right auto insurance protections in place. For assistance with all your car coverage needs, contact the experts at ISU-Wissink in Culver City, California, today.