It’s that time of year again when “old-man winter” descends upon us. With the onset of daylight savings time and bad weather conditions such as freezing rain, sleet and snow, we need to be extra careful when on the road. Read on for important tips on making winter driving an overall safer experience.
Preparation: Before hitting the road, consider some proactive things to be better prepared for winter driving in a variety of weather conditions.
☑ Tires: Replace your all-season tires with snow tires. Snow tires have enhanced treads and are made of a different compound for colder weather, giving you better braking and overall performance in harsh weather conditions. Additionally, make sure your tires are properly inflated before venturing onto the road.
☑ Brakes: Get your brake pads inspected for wear and tear. Good functioning brakes are essential to stopping on wet and icy road conditions.
☑ Fluids: Make sure the fluids in your car are topped off, especially your vehicle’s antifreeze and the wiper washer fluid. Always keep at least a half tank of gasoline in your vehicle during the winter.
☑ Safety Supplies: It’s always a good idea to keep a box of safety supplies in your vehicle during the winter that may include: road flares, an ice scraper, a blanket, jumper cables, a flashlight with extra batteries, and a bag of sand or cat litter.
Winter Driving Conditions: When the weather is nasty outside, it’s usually advisable to stay off the roads altogether. But when that is not possible, make sure to follow safe driving techniques
☑ Adjust Speed: It’s always important to adjust your speed for ice and snow and drive slower. By driving slower, your tires will have greater traction on tough road conditions.
☑ Adjust Driving Space: Remember that you can only control your own driving, not other drivers. Putting more space between you and the driver in front of you ensures that you have adequate stopping time.
☑ Adjust Braking: When you are on icy or snowy roads, it takes longer to slow down and stop. If you slam on the brakes, your car will most likely slide. Slowly brake and allow for more stopping distance when you know you have to stop ahead on the road, such as at a traffic light or intersection.
☑ Adjust Acceleration: When you try to accelerate on an uphill too much, your tires will most likely slip and spin. Accelerate slowly and allow your tires to grip the road as you gain speed. Avoid stopping up-hill on acceleration, as you may lost momentum and slip and slide backwards.
If you remember to focus on the four important factors of speed, space, brakes and acceleration, you will be able to more successfully maneuver difficult winter driving conditions.
Our vehicles perform and respond differently in bad weather conditions such as icy rain, sleet, or snow. If you apply these key tips, you can avoid injury or damage to your vehicle or others. Trust your winter car care needs to out auto repair shop in Byram, New Jersey. Contact Geller’s Automotive today for an appointment.
