Spokane, Washington is no stranger to snow, ice, but driving in these conditions should never be taken lightly. Even light rainfall can significantly affect driving conditions.
No matter how long you’ve been driving, you can always benefit from a refresher course on winter driving tips. Drive cautiously and do your best to practice safe winter driving to protect yourself and everyone else on the road.
Keep reading for our top five tips.
1. Accelerate and Brake Slowly
One of the biggest mistakes people make while winter driving is failing to account for the lack of traction. We get used to accelerating and braking quickly, especially when driving in heavy traffic. However, on wet, snowy, and icy roads, this can prove disastrous.
One of the most important winter driving tips is to accelerate slowly, especially from a stopped position. You should also begin breaking far in advance to avoid skidding and sliding.
2. Don’t Follow Too Closely
Many accidents on the road (in any season) are due to drivers following one another too closely. Keep a respectable distance between you and the car in front of to allow adequate time to stop should they slam on their brakes, turn, etc. In winter driving conditions, it’s recommended to keep a 10-second gap between you and the driver ahead.
3. Ensure Your Vehicle is Ready for Winter Conditions
The state of your vehicle can also have an impact on your winter driving safety. For example, you need to make sure your tires are in good condition. It may be worth it to invest in winter tires.
However, there are other vehicle maintenance tips to adhere to, such as ensuring your windshield wipers work properly. Additionally, you need to make sure the defrost setting works on both your windshield and your back window. Otherwise, you may find yourself suffering from poor visibility.
4. Be Aware of Black Ice
Just because you can’t see the ice, it doesn’t mean it’s not there. This is often the case when it comes to black ice, which freezes clear and is hardly detectable by drivers.
Black ice is prevalent when an area undergoes melting and freezing periods. Snow and ice melt on the road and then freeze over, creating dangerously slippery conditions.
5. Check the Weather
Finally, to maximize your safety, one of the best winter driving tips is to keep yourself apprised of the weather before hitting the road. Make sure you’re prepared for things like blizzards, heavy snowfall, freezing rain, icy roads, and more. In some cases, it may be best to postpone your trip.
Looking for More Winter Driving Tips?
If you’re getting a little anxious about the upcoming winter driving conditions are just want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to stay safe, check out some of our other winter driving tips. Our blog is full of helpful driver information and advice to help keep people like you safe on the road.
And if you have been involved in an accident, contact us today to get in touch with an auto accident attorney in Spokane to see how we can help you with your case.