Let it snow! Or so the old song goes.
But along with winter cheer comes the dreaded need to travel. And if you live in Spokane, you know how grumpy Old Man Winter can get.
He likes to dump piles of snow on our highways. And then melt it. And then freeze it again. And dump more snow on top of the ice.
And then melt it. And then freeze it again. And dump more snow on top of the ice.
70% of accidental deaths in winter happen in vehicles. And more than 110,000 people are injured on slick or icy roads each winter. I don’t want you to be one of those statistics. I’d rather see you safe than on crutches or dead.
I don’t want you to be one of those statistics. I’d rather see you safe than on crutches or dead.
So, as a Spokane personal injury lawyer, I’ve compiled a short list of my rules for winter driving. Follow them, and you’ll be at least a little bit safer on the roads this winter.
1. The Spokane Personal Injury Lawer’s Rules For Winter Driving: Prepare
It’s the Boyscout’s golden rule. Be prepared. And this absolutely goes for winter driving.
And this absolutely goes for winter driving.
As a Spokane personal injury lawyer, my job begins long before I reach the courtroom. And as a responsible driver, your job begins long before you hit the road.
Get you vehicle in to see a mechanic. Make sure your battery is good, your engine coolant and antifreeze is full, and that your tires aren’t bald.
Then pull together a winter driving kit: Gloves and hat, emergency blanket, shovel, bag of dirt, water, a few high-calorie snacks, an extra jacket, and a first aid kit.
Also, keep your gas tank at least half full. If you get below a quarter tank, especially in older cars, condensation can freeze and make trouble for your engine.
2. Know Thy Weather
With today’s technology, there is no excuse. You can know what weather is coming at you even by the minute.
As a Spokane personal injury lawyer, I say if you can avoid driving in adverse conditions avoid it.
How flexible is your job? Do you really need that gallon of milk?
If you know a major storm is coming, prepare your house as well. Get extra groceries and supplies just in case you can’t get out of the house.
If you do have to drive, try to time your trip with lulls in the storm. Weather radar is pretty accurate these days and you can see when a storm is going to pass over or where breaks in the storm might be.
3. Drive Slowly
When the roads are slick, you can’t stop as fast. It may seem common sense, but for some reason, our mind and body act so automatically that we forget this.
Double your following distance. In normal conditions, I recommend people drive two car lengths or two seconds behind the vehicle in front. But in winter driving, I would drive four car lengths or four seconds behind. At least.
If you start to slide, don’t panic. You really should practice this before even driving on winter roads.
If you can, find an empty parking lot or field and practice losing control. When your back end starts to slide out, turn your wheel toward where your backend is sliding.
Conclusion:
As a Spokane personal injury lawyer, I see a lot of unfortunate accidents. Many of them could have been avoided.
Follow my rules and you’ll be much safer.
And if you do get into an accident, give me a call. I’ll help you out.