Lore Con

Driving in snow, slush, or on icy roads requires a different approach than driving in normal weather conditions. Combining common sense with preparation usually results in a safe winter driver. Here are nine tips for safer winter driving:

Always Drive With Your Headlights On

Even if you feel you don’t need your headlights on to see the road, turn them on so other motorists can see you. When the daylight is dimmer because of cloud cover some color of cars can blend in with the fog, roadway, or reflections.

Drive For The Conditions

If the roads are icy, slow down. Drive for the conditions you are in, not the conditions you wish the road were in.

Make Room When Stopping

Stopping on snow, ice, and even in slush without skidding requires extra time and space. If you have anti-lock brakes, press the pedal down firmly and hold it to the floor. If you don’t have anti-lock brakes, gently pump the pedal. In both instances make sure you allow yourself plenty of room between you and another vehicle, an object or person, or a stop sign to come to a stop.

Avoid Cutting Off Large Trucks

Large trucks and semi-trucks require greater distance to stop because of their weight. If you cut off a large truck in winter driving conditions, it may not be able to stop in time to avoid hitting you or something else.

Look Farther Up The Road

Many only pay attention to the road, weather, and traffic conditions of the exact spot their vehicle is in. Focus your attention farther up the road and pay attention to the roadway that you’re driving towards. Other drivers actions (braking, swerving, stopping, etc.) can be a sort of tip-off as to what lays ahead.

Avoid Cruise Control

Cruise control is a great modern feature for the open road in good weather. Using cruise control in severe winter weather can be disastrous as your car could hit ice or slush and continue to use the accelerator.

Allow More Room

When driving in winter conditions, allow more room between you and all vehicles (driving or parked) that are around you. More room is needed to stop your car when you are on ice or slush, the same is true for other drivers.

Slow Down For Trouble Spots

Most collisions occur at intersections, off ramps, bridges, and shaded areas. Slowing down before you enter one of these spots can mean the difference between being involved in an accident and driving right on by.

Avoid Abrupt Actions

Avoiding abrupt actions whether they are swerving, accelerating, or stopping will decrease the likelihood of you being involved in an accident of some sort.

Using common sense and being careful can get most motorists through the winter driving season unscathed. Drive safe, drive smart. By: M. Allen

Lately there has been a huge increase in the number of fatal accidents stemming from a simple breakdown on the side of the road. It is important to remember that there are other cars around you when you are pulled over and not all of them will be paying attention to you alone on the side of the road. That is why it is necessary to take precautions against accidents happening on the side of the road.

First of all, don’t try to squeeze out the door if there are cars passing. It sounds like common sense, but some people don’t realize how close they are to passing cars and opening the door enough to get out could be enough to put yourself in the way of danger. Whether you get stuck in the middle of the day or the middle of the night, some drivers just don’t pay enough attention to what is going on and risk being hit.

If you do happen to get stranded at night, make sure you leave some sort of light on so that other people can identify where you are. It is dangerous enough to be on the side of the road when people can see you, but it is even worse when no one has any idea that you are there. Not to mention the fact that you have a higher risk of seeing intoxicated and exhausted drivers late at night that may not be in full control of their vehicles at all times.

Learn how to change tires. Many breakdowns are due to flat tires. Being able to change your own tires can be a useful skill and will lessen your reliance on others to get you out of a breakdown. Be careful who you get help from. These days most everyone has access to a cellular phone or other means of contacting assistance, but if you have no way of reaching someone you know and trust, be careful asking strangers for help. In most cases the public could be understanding and you can find help, but from time to time there will be people with bad intent that will pretend to help you while really tricking you into something worse. If you need to borrow a phone to call someone, do so, but never get in a stranger’s car if they offer you a ride home. Better safe than sorry in this instance.

Overall, roadside safety is common sense, but you have to remember that you will probably not be the cause of an accident. Instead it will be somebody else not paying attention that makes the situation worse. That is why it is important to protect yourself in as many ways as possible to make sure that other drivers are aware of your situation and you will not be in the way of anyone that is not paying attention. Secondly, it is important to remember to keep yourself safe when it comes to asking for help with your car from people you do not know. No matter what the situation, you are always better off asking someone you know than going to a complete stranger. Sometimes, it is better hire a car road assistance. Don’t place yourself in a situation where you can be harmed by a simple roadside breakdown. By: Amy Nutt

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