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5 Tips for Avoiding an Automobile Accident While Driving in Winter

One of the things that many people dread is driving in the wintertime. The weather is horrid, and there a lot of hazardous road conditions to deal with. But if you are well prepared for winter driving, you will discover that you are not having as many problems as those were not prepared. Below are some of the things that you can do to prepare for winter driving and to help you with avoiding an automobile accident.

Check your antifreeze

When winter comes one of the things that you want to do is make sure that you have enough coolant in your tank. Many people have trouble doing this themselves, so it’s best to take it to a mechanic. The low-level antifreeze can cause your liquid to freeze and damage your engine. If your radiator freezes, you may find that your car’s overheating not long after you’ve left home. Stop your car and allow your radiator to thaw out which will let your coolant circulate in your engine again.

Watch your wipers

When you park the car and turn them off, be sure your wipers are down completely. This will let you put de-icer on your windshield when you drive the next time. If it’s icy when you return to your car, lift your wipers off your windshield to ensure they’re not stuck. If they’re stuck, apply your de-icer around the wipers to ensure that they are working properly again.

Check your tires

Check all the tires on your car for their tread depth. They should have at least 3 mm of their tread in the wintertime and not under 2 mm. Legally, you’re required to have 1.6 mm around the tire’s central 75%. It’s also a good idea to check your pressure on your tires. Make sure that they’re at the levels that are recommended in the car manual. Don’t believe that lower tire pressure helps with gripping in the snow, because it’s not true.

Be considerate when driving

One of the things that many drivers do that they think is funny is to drive through a puddle and splash the pedestrians who are on the sidewalk. Although this really isn’t a safety concern, it’s plain rude.

Give yourself ample time

The last thing that you want to do when the weather is bad is the rush, so make sure that you are giving yourself enough time to get to where you have to go. Icy, cold, snowy weather is not the time to be breaking the speed limit. In fact, you should be driving below the speed limit to give yourself enough time to stop.

These are the things that you should remember when it comes to winter driving. Driving in the wintertime doesn’t have to be more difficult than driving in the summertime as long as you are careful and take all the precautions that you can. If you were injured in an auto accident because of someone else, contact us. We will be happy to help you with your claim.

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