If you want to drive safely and avoid collisions this winter, you need to adjust your driving practices to suit the weather. Of course, you should drive more slowly in slippery conditions; keep distance between you and the vehicles ahead of you, and be even more alert for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.
BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE DO THIS TO AVOID COLLISIONS
Safe driving and alertness are important ways to protect yourself and other road users in winter. But, if you don’t do something else first, even before you get behind the wheel, everything else you do to avoid collisions might not matter.
Road conditions aren’t the only reason for the increase in vehicle accidents in winter. Shorter days mean we do more of our driving in darkness, which makes it more difficult to see.
It makes sense. If you can’t see as well, then you are more likely to run into something. And that’s why it’s surprising that so many drivers don’t do the first thing needed for safer driving in winter.
CLEAR THE SNOW FROM YOUR VEHICLE REDUCE YOUR CHANCES OF HAVING A CAR ACCIDENT
Yes, that’s it. The first thing you should do to lower your accident risk when driving this winter is simply brushing and scraping snow and ice from your vehicle.
Here are the parts of your vehicle that you must clear of snow and ice before you drive to help you avoid collisions.
- All Windows – You can’t avoid what you can’t see. Make sure you can see out every part of every window on your vehicle before driving.
- All Lights – Making your vehicle visible to other drivers is important too. Clear snow and ice from your headlights, driving lights, brake lights and sidelights
- The Roof, Hood, and Trunk – Many drivers don’t bother clearing the snow from the roof of their vehicles because it doesn’t block their view. But as you drive down the road, any snow on the roof, hood or trunk of your vehicle can blow off. Enough of it and you can even create temporary white-out conditions for the vehicles behind you.
If you haven’t added it up, the answer to what parts of your car you should keep clear of snow and ice is the entire vehicle. And, just in case you forget to do so and end up needing expert collision repair, get in touch with us here at Leons Auto Body.