Tips for Driving Safe During the Winter Season
Did you know?
Due to visibility impairments, precipitation, high winds, and low temperatures, drivers are at an increased risk of motor vehicle collisions during the winter.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are over 5,891,000 vehicle collisions each year (2020). Of those collisions, 21% are weather related and the result of rain, sleet, snow, fog, crosswinds, and blowing snow (FHA, 2020). Each year, over 1,300 people are killed in a weather-related collision and more than 116,800 people are injured in a collision due to snowy, icy, or slushy pavements (FHA, 2020). As the days grow shorter and the temperatures begin to drop, it’s important to prepare your vehicle and your driving habits for winter weather conditions.
Here are a few tips and suggestions that you can do to prepare you and your vehicle for the upcoming winter season!
Keep a Winter Kit in Your Vehicle: This season create a Winter Preparedness Kit for your vehicle. Your kit could include an ice scraper, a small snow shovel, flashlights, gloves or mittens, blankets, water, phone chargers, first aid kit, spare tire and tools, jumper cables, and sand.
Service Your Vehicle: Whether you take your vehicle to a mechanic or service it yourself, you should prepare your vehicle for the winter season. Lower temperatures can affect your battery power, which may cause difficulty starting your vehicle. Check your battery, charging system, and belts and make necessary repairs or replacements. Check your lights, windshield wipers, cooling system, and tires. Service and replace these parts if necessary.
Schedule Extra Time to Prepare Your Vehicle: Before operating your vehicle, clear your front windshield, back windshield, side windows, side mirrors, and external cameras so you’ll be able to see what’s around you. Remove dirt, ice and snow from sensors to allow the assistive driving features like automatic emergency braking to work. This may take additional time, so always plan ahead so you can thoroughly clean each one. This also allows time for your vehicle to warm up.
Plan Your Travel Route: If the forecast looks severe, do not drive. If you have to travel, check weather, road conditions, and traffic. Do not rush your trip and allow plenty of time to get to your destination safely. Let others know your route and anticipated arrival time in case you experience any travel difficulties.
Safety First: Always wear your seatbelt, every trip, and ensure that everyone in your vehicle is buckled up. Properly buckle in children. Make sure car seats and booster seats are properly installed and that children riding with you are in appropriate seats for their ages and sizes.
Stay Alert: Remember to keep your gas tank close to full whenever possible. Plan your trip to allow time to stop to eat, rest, return calls and texts, and stretch. Do not text or use social media when driving. Avoid using your phone for calls or other reasons while operating your vehicle. If you feel drowsy, stop and rest.
Drive Safe: Winter conditions make driving the roads risky. Always accelerate and decelerate slowly and increase your following distance to 8 to 10 seconds. Don’t’ overcrowd a snow plow or travel beside it. Try to travel behind slow plows or use caution when passing. Avoid using cruise control so you remain focused on driving
This list is not exclusive but is a great starting point to help you prepare for the winter season. Share these tips with family and friends and drive safe this holiday season!
Recommendations are based on those provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Safety Council. We encourage you to visit their websites for more ideas.
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