Every season presents drivers with unique challenges. Fall has wet leaves to slide on, summer is prime time for overheated engines, and spring brings mud and rain and pollen-covered windshields. But winter is maybe the most treacherous. Winter brings black ice, slush, and the possibility of snow storms that cause minor inconvenience or even total white-out conditions. No matter what you might encounter this winter, here are some winter driving tips from My Auto Store for staying safe on the roads and handling winter weather.
Stay Off the Road or Plan Ahead
The first tip on winter driving in bad conditions is to avoid it altogether if you can. If you have the opportunity, don’t go out when the weather makes the road dangerous. Of course, this isn’t always possible, so our second tip is to take your time and plan your route beforehand. Even if it’s a trip you’ve made numerous times, like your daily commute to work, take a look at a map and plan your route. Choose main roads that will be plowed and well-maintained. And keep an alternative route in mind in case you run into problems. It’s also a good idea to leave early. This buffer will allow you time to deal with any issues and drive carefully while ensuring you’re still on time.
Stay Safe, Go Slow
On slick winter roads, it’s always a good idea to go slowly, accelerate and decelerate slowly and increase your following distance. When the roads get slick, you’ll need more time to react to obstacles or other drivers. So, make sure you traveling at a safe speed and leaving some room to maneuver. And if you find yourself needing to brake hard to avoid an obstacle, make sure you know your brakes. Antilock brakes are made to prevent your wheels from locking up, so steady, firm pressure on the brake pedal is good. But you may have to pump your brake pedal if you don’t have antilock brakes to keep your wheels from locking.
Be Prepared with the Right Parts
One of the best winter driving safety tips we can offer is to make sure your vehicle is prepared. Check your brakes, heating system, tires, battery, and other essentials, and repair or replace anything that isn’t up to snuff. This article on Scheduled Maintenance can help you decide what is important to do before winter. If you need to replace parts, save some money and contact our team. We can get you used parts that are inspected and warrantied to ensure you get the best at a great price!
