Winter is always a rough time for us. The cold weather can be hard to cope with and cold and flu seem to spread like wildfire. When it comes to staying safe during the winter one of the more dangerous places can be the road. This is why today we are going to look at some of the ways that you can stay safer on the roads this year in the winter.
1. Prepare Your Vehicle
To avoid ending up in an accident this winter it is always a good idea for you to check your car before a journey. This can include making sure that you have enough antifreeze in your car to keep it running safely, checking if there is a good amount of screenwash in your vehicle, and making sure that your tyres are inflated. All of these small checks can make a big difference when you come to driving in the winter and it can be a great help.
2. Check the weather
Before you decide to head out on the road and drive for the day, it is important that you take a minute to check the weather outside as well as the condition of the roads. This will allow you to either schedule another method of getting into work or wherever you need to be, and it will also allow you to plan out your journey to allow more time for the drive if you need to.
3. Clear the ice and snow
One of the things which might seem like it should be obvious when you are driving in the cold is to clear the car of ice and snow before you go. However do you always make sure to clear all of the ice and snow off the car before you set off? Even the snow which is on the roof? This is a hugely important thing for you to do for your own safety and everyone else’s around you on the road. As you start to move the car will heat up and any snow which is on the car will start to melt and this can in turn cause it to slip from your roof and onto your front or back window. If it falls on the front it will obstruct your view of the road, and if it falls behind it can end up falling in front of someone else’s car and cause them to swerve.
4. Slow Down
Speed limits are of course an important part of driving at any time of the year, but even more so during the winter when the roads are slippery and your car is harder to control. As you will know from taking your driving test, your stopping time on ice is much higher than it is during dry conditions and therefore it is harder for you to control. To stay safe on the road be sure to drive at or underneath the speed limit at all times.
5.Stay far behind
During the winter, roads are much more icy and this can lead to the road becoming harder to drive on without slipping. This is why it is super important for you to keep a larger gap between you and the driver in front of you. Double or even triple the distance can be better and this will allow you to safely react to anyone who stops or turns in front of you on the road.
6. Steady on
The worst thing you could possibly have to do on the road in the winter is carry out an emergency stop. Stopping rapidly or swerving out of the way quickly can be annoying and it can also be incredibly dangerous for you. When it comes to driving on the ice or snow it is always worth taking that extra time to do everything.
7.Pay attention
One of the things which can always trip you up if you are trying to drive safely on the road is having distractions. For example if you have friends, kids or pets in your car with you these can be a big distraction to your driving and it can be a little dangerous to say the least. One of the things you can do to keep yourself safe is minimise your distractions by turning of your phone and keeping music and talking down to a minimum. In the snow this can make a big difference and it will definitely be useful for you.