Reviewing and practicing these winter driving safety tips can be critical to helping drivers minimize their chances of getting into car accidents.
Winter is here to stay for at least a few more months, which means that drivers will still have to continue battling icy and snowy roadways as they commute to work and get about in their daily lives. While, in the recent past, we have focused some of our blogs on preparing winter driving safety kits and how to handle vehicles when they skid on icy roads, it’s a good time to take a more Gestalt view of the winter driving experience and go over some general winter driving safety tips.
Taking the time to review and practice these tips can be critical to helping drivers minimize their chances of getting into car accidents this winter (and in winter seasons to come!).
- Tip 1 – Take it slow: Winter inevitably brings about icy and snowy roads in Boulder each year, and such conditions significantly impact your vehicle’s ability to slow down and brake effectively. This means that you should avoid speeding and possibly even drive about 5 or so miles per hours slower than the posted speed limit in order to make sure that you are able to effective slow and stop your vehicle at any given time.
- Tip 2 – Know your vehicle: Understanding how your car or truck may handle and operate differently in harsher weather conditions is crucial during the wintertime. For example, colder conditions may make it more difficult to steer your car or to may cause your vehicle to stall more frequently.If you are unsure about how your car will fare during the winter, take it for a few test drives in an uncrowded parking lot (or any area that is free from other drivers) so you can get a better sense of how your car may handle differently in the cold, ice and snow.
- Tip 3 – Keep your car well maintained: Having your vehicle in its best condition is essential when it comes to reducing your chances of getting into a car accident and/or breaking down and being stranded on the side of the road during the dead of winter. To this end, take your car to get serviced before winter starts (or as soon as you can) to ensure that your vehicle’s engine and ignition systems are functioning well, that your car’s tires are in good condition, etc.
- Tip 4 – Be careful on infrequently traveled roads: When driving on bridges, back roads and other roadways that may be infrequently traveled, be especially careful to go slower, read all posted signage and drive defensively. Infrequently traveled roads can be particularly dangerous during the wintertime, as they are usually the last roads to get plowed, salted, etc.
- Tip 5 – Leave plenty of headway: Because it will automatically take a longer amount of time to slow and stop your car when the roads are icy and snowy, make sure that you leave plenty of room between your car and the vehicles you are following. This will not only give you plenty of time to stop your car when approaching red lights, stop signs, etc., but it will also give you enough warning if any cars that you may be following have to suddenly slam on their brakes (because, for example, they are avoiding objects in the road or the driver in the vehicle in front of them has slammed on the brakes).
- Tip 6 – Know your car’s limitations: Understanding what your car cannot handle is important because it can inform you when it’s not safe to drive. If you don’t know your car’s limitations, then always err on the side of caution and don’t take your vehicle out.
- Tip 7 – Keep a winter safety kit in your car: Having a winter safety kit in your car can be crucial to helping you get your car running again (if it breaks down) or to keeping you and your family safe if you have to wait for help in very cold conditions.
Contacting the Boulder County Car Accident Lawyers at Cederberg Law
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident – or if you have lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident, contact the Boulder County car accident lawyers at Cederberg Law by calling us at 303-499-0449 or emailing us using the form at the right-hand side of the screen.
Since 2011, our esteemed legal professionals have been successful at securing results and compensation for people who have been seriously injured in car accidents and other types of traffic accidents.
Having handled countless cases, our attorneys have a deep understanding of the law, as well as the legal experience you need, and we can fiercely defend your rights in any legal setting. In fact, while we are aggressive litigators in court, we are also skilled negotiators outside of court. This makes our trusted lawyers a formidable force that will not back down until you secure the maximum possible compensation for your injuries, expenses and losses.
