With the holidays coming up, it’s time to think about all the things that come with them. Time with family. Great meals. Snow. And, of course, driving in the snow.
Now in Michigan, driving in the snow is so ordinary we look down on other states that complain about their snowfall levels. We’re used to heavy snowfall, slippery conditions and everything that comes with it. But, still, it never hurts to think about what really works when it comes to driving in rough conditions.
Drive a little slower
It doesn’t matter if your SUV has four-wheeled-drive or not, that won’t help you stop or maneuver out of the way of an accident if you go too fast. Speed is not your friend when the conditions get bad. If you take a little extra time, your drive home will be a lot smoother.
Allow a little more room to drive safely
There is some evidence that leaving room between cars helps alleviate traffic jams. But that’s not the only benefit of giving room to the cars ahead of you. In snowy conditions, safe driving is all about seeing as much as you can, as clearly as you can and giving yourself time to change lanes or stop. Tailgating is the opposite of that.
Go easy on the brakes
Say the very worst happens and a car stops in front of you, or you need to step on your breaks for some other reason. Simply forcing a stop, whether or not you have anti-lock brakes, can cause a car to lose control. The complicated relationship between tires, brakes and the road conditions are challenging to navigate on short notice.
Know the car seat laws
If you’re traveling with a baby, toddler or young child, it’s important that you’re up to date of all of Michigan’s car seat safety laws. After all, aren’t the little ones the most precious cargo you could ever travel with?
Reduce distractions
Reducing distractions while driving, especially during the holidays is the single most important task to avoid car wrecks. There are tons of distractions drivers face, such as texting and driving, when operating their vehicles. So, taking out the ones that you can will help you drive safely or more safely during the holidays, especially.
Why risk it?
The thing about winter driving is that even the best and most experienced drivers out there cannot correct for the unexpected. When you have only a short amount of time to react to an obstacle or a change in circumstances, the snow and ice is not your friend. Car crashes and truck accidents cause untold numbers of catastrophic injuries every single year. Maybe the next time the weather gets bad, if you can, just stay home.