Depending on where you are located in the US, you may have experienced some inclement weather as snow storms swept across the Midwest towards the East Coast this week. For commuters and those who must drive in a storm, you know that it may take some extra finesse to maneuver the roads safely with added snow and ice.
Here are a few winter driving tips for snow and other icy conditions:
Before the storm hits:
- Make sure your vehicle is in good condition. Check all tires, fill up the fuel tank and perform any needed maintenance.
- Prepare an emergency kit for your vehicle. Make sure you have jumper cables, a shovel, a flashlight, and water. For more ideas and a comprehensive list, visit the Allstate Blog.
While driving in snow or icy conditions:
- Refrain from tailgating the vehicle in front of you. Tailgating diminishes your opportunity to react safely should the vehicle in front of you make a sudden movement.
- Brake very gently and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. Depending on your type of vehicle, ice and snow may cause your vehicle to skid or fishtail. Remain calm and brake gently.
- Don’t speed! Technically, you should never speed, but going too fast in wintery conditions can be even more dangerous. If you hit a patch of black ice, you can easily lose control of your vehicle. Maintain a cautious speed and mimic the drivers around you.
- Lastly, abstain from aggressive driving. Don’t weave throughout lanes and cut other drivers off. Snow, ice and slippery mush tend to gather on the lane dividers. Quickly switching lanes can lead to skidding and losing control of a vehicle. Visibility is lowered when driving in snow, so always imagine that the person you are thinking of cutting in front of can see even less that you can. Many vehicles on the road carry excess snow on their vehicles and this can hinder the driver’s view.
Fleetmatics can help keep track of vehicle maintenance, such as the date of last oil changes for every fleet vehicle. Set a maintenance alert to be reminded when the next service is to be performed, based on calendar time, engine on time, or mileage depending on the service. When a storm is about to hit, quickly check to make sure all vehicles in use are in tip-top shape.
Do you have any other advice for driving in wintery conditions? Let us know your winter driving tips in the comments and drive safely!
