Have you ever experienced the terror of your car turning sideways and felt like you had no control over your vehicle? Here are some tips to help you drive safely in winter weather.
1. Slow Down
Whether rain, snow, wind, or fog, the most important thing you can do is lower your speed. Not only are you usually visually impaired in rough weather, slowing down lessens the chances of sliding on rain or snow and also keeps high winds from pulling the steering wheel out of your grasp.
2. Leave Plenty of Room Between the Car Ahead of You
Even if you're driving safely and slowly, bear in mind the person ahead of you might not have the same mindset or experience with the weather situation. They may start to slip and slide and you want to have as much room as possible to come to a safe stop.
3. Plan Ahead
Leave early for your destination so that you won't be prone to drive too fast. Scrape ice or snow off your windshield. Let your car fully warm up so that the defroster has time to work. Turn on your headlights (or fog lights during fog). Always wear your seatbelt!
3. Keep Your Car Well-Maintained
Make sure every year your windshield wipers and blades work before you need them. Exposure to the sun all summer can make the blades brittle and keep them from making a tight seal that maintains your clearest vision.
Check to be sure all your lights (including turn signals) are working and replace any needed.
Make sure to keep an eye on your tire pressure, even more so in cold weather, because tires with low pressure can skid more easily on wet surfaces and take longer to come to a stop.
Maintain your car's fluids! Be sure to use a defrosting windshield solution, and change your oil (old, sludgy oil becomes even sludgier in cold weather). Change the oil filter while you're at it. Top off your antifreeze, power steering, transmission, and brake fluids, too.
If you need vehicle repair or help with any of the necessary maintenance just mentioned, we invite you to bring your vehicle into our auto repair shop today!