Huge Storm Reminds Connecticut Drivers to Practice Safe Winter Driving
As anyone living in Connecticut knows, recent snow storms have made for some very nasty winter weather. In fact, the early February blizzard of 2013 was so bad that news reports indicated President Obama signed an emergency declaration for the state. Drivers were still digging out days later and were advised to stay at home and off the roads until the snow could be cleared.
While this blizzard, dubbed Nemo, hopefully will be the worst of the winter, our Hartford, CT personal injury lawyers want to remind drivers that this likely won’t be the last our state sees of snow or bad weather this season. As such, we urge all drivers to be prepared, practice their safe winter driving and follow some basic safety tips to avoid auto accidents caused by storms, snow and ice.
Staying Safe in Winter Weather
When a storm like Nemo comes along, the best and only way to stay safe is to stay home and off the roads. The most important safe winter weather tip, therefore, is to make absolutely sure that you listen to winter storm advisories and winter weather warnings. If there is a driving ban in effect or if the news is reporting that a blizzard is coming, don’t get in your car and drive anywhere unless it is an emergency. Instead, stay at home, make sure you have candles. Plan for a power outage and stock up on supplies.
When the weather is just run-of-the-mill winter weather, however, you may need to venture out with snow and ice on the roads. If you do, keep these tips in mind:
- Leave early for your destination so you will have plenty of time to get there without speeding. You never want to speed with slick or icy conditions as you could lose control of your vehicle, skid or spin out. In fact, in many cases you will want to drive below the speed limit when it is bad out.
- Refrain from tailgating. You want to leave a lot of space in between your vehicle and the other cars on the road. This is because ice can make it harder for your vehicle to stop. When you do need to stop with icy conditions, you need to step on your brakes softly so you don’t skid.
- Have all parts of your car carefully checked over, including the windshield wipers and tires, and make sure that your car has enough fluids. Good tires are essential to good traction on slick winter roads and good wipers will help to ensure that you can see even when visibility is bad.
- Consider practicing winter driving in an empty parking lot. If you aren’t sure what to do when your car skids or spins out, you don’t want to find out on a highway. Instead, take your vehicle to an empty lot with someone who knows how to drive safely in snow and get plenty of practice.
By following these safe winter driving tips, you can hopefully avoid becoming involved in an auto accident and you can make it through the winter safe and sound.
If you’ve been in an auto accident, contact the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone & Morelli at 1-800-WIN-WIN-1.