The snow has arrived and winter is really here which means you may have to drive in inclement weather. That can pose extra risks when you’re behind the wheel. The American Automobile Association’s (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety says snow-covered roads — as well as roads coated with ice, slush or water — account for nearly 500,000 vehicle crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths each year.
Here are a couple of quick tips to stay safe while driving in the snow.
1. Stay home if you can!
If the weather is bad, stay home. Only go out if necessary.
2. Remove snow and ice completely
Before you clear off the windows, start the car, set the airflow to defrost, the fan speed to maximum, and the temperature to high. The goal is for the driver to have an unobstructed view in all directions.
Carry a brush to remove snow on the vehicle’s roof, hood, trunk lid, and all windows before driving. Use a scraper or a credit card to remove ice on the car windows and mirrors if necessary. Make sure to fully clear snow off of the roof of your vehicle.
3. Decrease speed
Winter driving is all about slowing down and giving yourself plenty of distance between vehicles in front and to the side of your vehicle. Remember, bridges and overpasses freeze first. Lower your speed to account for poor traction. Don’t press on the accelerator pedal with full throttle when driving in sleet, ice, and snow.
4. Minimize distractions
There are always distractions that come into play as part of everyday driving — the temptation to talk on your phone, turn on a podcast, or anything else. The risk of an accident greatly increases when snow and ice cover the street. Pay attention to the road and other road users. Use extra caution when the conditions are poor.
5. Keep a full tank of gas or stay fully charged
Fill up your gas tank ahead of a storm and keep it full. You don’t want to run out of gasoline if you end up stuck for hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic during a snowstorm, sleet, or ice storm. When the tank gets half empty, fill it up. Stay fully charged or at least at 80% as much as possible in an electric car. Know your electric vehicle’s systems that eat up battery charge, including blasting the heat. Instead, keep seat warmers (if equipped) on low and use your systems sparingly to preserve battery power.
6. Educate your teen drivers on driving in smow
There may be a few exceptions, but probably close to 100% of us learned the basics of driving on dry pavement. To prepare teens for winter driving, take them to a parking lot that is covered with snow to demonstrate braking, steering, accelerating, and decelerating. Do this before the driver hits the slippery streets on their own.
7. Respect snowplows
Snowplow drivers focus on clearing roadways. At the same time, the snowplow driver may be on the radio getting instructions from a superintendent. As a result, it could be that peripheral vision gets obstructed by the flying snow and the truck’s big snowplow. The driver may not see your vehicle.
In addition, watch out when driving next to a snowplow on a major roadway. The snow that flies off the sides of the plow can hit your windshield, making it difficult and near impossible to see the road. To be safe, keep a distance from any snowplow on the road.
8. Be on the lookout for black ice
The pavement looks wet, but it is actually ice-covered. Black ice is the term used to describe this condition. During the day, the ice and snow may thaw. But as the temperature drops in the late afternoon or evening, water may turn to ice on the roadway. Pay attention to changing temperature conditions.
Many vehicles post the outside temperature on the instrument panel display or elsewhere in the vehicle — as it gets close to or below freezing, beware.
Before you head out on snowy roadways make sure you have the right auto coverages on your policy. Contact our office today if you have any questions or for a complimentary policy review.