Safety tips for traveling during the winter months

The heart of the winter season is upon us, which means road conditions are going to be everything but optimal. No matter, if it’s ice, snow, or sleet, driving in the winter, can be stressful, and even dangerous, if the proper precautions are not taken. In 2021 alone, well over 100,000 crashes occurred in wintery conditions in the United States. Thankfully, it’s far from difficult to keep you and your family safe. Here are our safety tips for traveling during the winter months:

 Don’t Travel Unnecessarily

As much as you may want to go out to see friends or head out for a nice meal, traveling in poor conditions can easily be avoided by simply staying put. Avoiding non-mandatory travel in bad weather will keep you and those around you safe by eliminating the risk altogether. However, if you’re required to go out, the following tips will help.

Clean off your Car

During the colder season, it should become a routine to head out to your car a few minutes earlier than usual to turn it on and flip on the defroster to full heat. This will melt any ice that formed on your windshield overnight. It’s also recommended to use a brush to remove all excess snow on your vehicle. No matter if it’s on the hood, mirrors, or roof, having snow on your car while driving is not only a hazard for you, but also for those around you. The snow can easily fall into your line of view or blow onto the surrounding cars, making it difficult or impossible to see. Thankfully, with just a five-minute clean, your car will return to its optimal condition.

Drive Slowly

It may seem rudimentary, but ensuring that your speed is slow and consistent while driving in the winter is key to your safety (this includes accelerating and decelerating slowly). When driving on snow or ice, your tires have less traction, making it difficult for them to continue on the intended path. If enough traction is lost, which is often caused by high speeds, it’s possible that you could lose complete control and begin to hydroplane. However, if you keep your car at a low and steady speed, your tires will have enough traction, keeping you in control. 

Don’t Follow Closely

As previously mentioned, when driving on snow and ice, your tires have a much more difficult time gaining traction, making it hard for them to start and stop quickly. Due to this, it’s recommended that you add four to five seconds to your following time. On non-wintery roads, it’s best to have four seconds of following distance, so in poor conditions, eight to nine seconds will be plenty to keep you safe. This will allow you plenty of time to come to a stop in case the car in front of you happens to quickly apply its brakes.

Use Inertia to your Advantage

When going up hills, try to gain inertia prior to heading up the hill and let it bring you to the top. However, do not stop while heading uphill because in winter conditions it’s easy for your tires to lose traction and you begin to slide back down. When you reach the top of the hill, you may be inclined to keep your speed up, but slow your car down and head down the hill at a low rate of speed. This will keep you in control the entire time and allow you to continue safely. 

Winter roads can be a source of anxiety and stress for many drivers, but it doesn’t have to be by following a few simple tips. If you, unfortunately, fall victim to a winter-road accident, Chancey’s https://www.chanceys.com/ has the affordable parts to get you and your vehicle back on the road. Check out our online inventory or give us a call 706 842-7299 to see what we have available. From all of us here at Chancey’s, we wish you the best in this winter season!