After Louisville’s latest bout of snow, we’ve been thinking about ways you can stay safe while driving this season. According to the Federal Highway Administration, Each year, 24 percent of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy or icy pavement and 15 percent happen during snowfall or sleet. Learn how you can stay safe on Kentucky’s roadways during these icy winter months.
10 Tips on How to Drive Safely in Winter Weather
- Stay home. If possible, stay at home and avoid driving in snowy or icy conditions.
- Be smart. Never warm up your car in an enclosed space such as your garage. Carbon monoxide can build up and kill you without warning.
- Stay focused. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you lose control and start spinning on snow or ice, steer in the direction you want to go.
- Be prepared. Prepare your car with everything you may need in case of an emergency. This may include an extra set of clothes, food and water, a flashlight, blankets, or anything else you may need if you become stranded.
- Keep your gas tank full. Don’t let your car go below half a tank of gas, just in case you end up somewhere stranded due to the weather.
- Keep your vehicle well-maintained. Most importantly, make sure your tires are in good condition. Also check your oil, windshield wipers, headlights, and tail lights.
- Drive slowly. Lower your speed to account for snowy or icy roads.
- Keep a safe distance. It takes longer to stop when driving on an icy road, so increase your following distance to five to six seconds.This will give you more time to safely stop if you need to.
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Step on the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Take time to slow down before you stop since it takes longer on icy roads.
- Brake slowly. Don’t slam on the brakes when you want to stop immediately. Doing so can cause you to lose traction. Pump your brakes lightly, as holding your foot on the brake will cause them to lock up and your car to skid.
Contact an Experienced Louisville Car Accident Attorney
Have you been involved in a wintertime auto accident in the Kentuckiana area? Turn to our team of dedicated and seasoned car accident attorneys for superior legal representation. Kentucky’s car accident attorneys, Kaiman & Crahan will maximize your financial recovery using our years of experience helping clients build strong cases against negligent drivers. We offer free consultations, so schedule an appointment online or give us a call at (502) 771-0741.