As a kid, winter is a lot of fun. Winter brings storms, which in turn bring snow which can lead to extra days off from school, and all the while, the thought of Christmas is hanging in the air. While this is all great as a kid, as an adult things prove to be a little more difficult, especially when it comes to snow.
Driving can already be a bit of a hassle, thanks to the increase in traffic, but the bad weather can make things worse. Driving in the rain or snow can be dangerous if a person is not prepared, or lacks any experience with the matter. To help take care of that, here are some winter driving tips.
- Slow down on wet roads. Water on the roads can reduce friction, which will make it easy for cars to slide across the road without any control when at high speeds. Slowing down just a little bit can reduce the chances of this happening to you. If the vehicle you are driving starts to hydroplane, do not slam on the brakes as doing so will take away what little control you have. Instead, take your foot of the gas pedal and let the vehicle slow down naturally. Once it slows down, the tires will regain traction and you will have control of the vehicle again.
- Slow everything down on frozen roads. Snow and ice reduce the grip of your tires on roads far more than water. To compensate for this, a person needs to not only drive slower, but accelerate and brake at a slower pace as well. Accelerating too quickly can cause a car to spin out, while braking too suddenly will cause the car to slide.
- Always use headlights. Headlights not only allow you to see better while driving, they also allow other drivers to see you better. This can help prevent other cars from hitting you when visibility is low.
- The best advice for driving in bad weather, is to avoid driving in bad weather. When the weather is bad, a person should only head out on the road if they absolutely have to. If they can avoid going out, they should.
Follow these tips and you will be able to stay safe on the roads this winter season.