Winter Auto Safety

Did you know that 24 percent of weather-related accidents annually occur on snowy, slushy or icy pavement? Those winter accidents result in more than 1,300 fatalities and 116,800 injuries. Snowy or slushy pavement leads to an average of 30 percent to 40 percent reduction in vehicle speed, decreased visibility, reduced road capacity and increased travel time.

While your auto insurance is ready to respond for damage to your vehicle in the event of a winter-driving accident, the best protection is to avoid the claim altogether. Here are a few valuable icy road driving tips from weather.com:

• Don’t go out unless absolutely necessary. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can
• Decrease your speed
• Leave yourself extra room to stop; allow at least three times more space than usual between your car and the one in front of you
• Brake gently to avoid skidding and ease off the brake if your wheels start to lock up
• Turn on your lights, so your car is more visible to other motorists
• Don’t pass sanding trucks and snow plows. Their drivers have limited visibility, and the road in front of them will be worse than the road behind
• Keep your lights and windshield clean
• Use low gears to maintain traction, especially on hills
• Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on slippery roads
• Be especially careful on infrequently traveled roads and exposed roadways such as bridges and overpasses, which tend to freeze first. In fact, in wet conditions, ice can develop in shady areas or on exposed roadways even when temperatures are above freezing
• Don’t be overconfident that your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads

Sources: www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov, www.weather.com