Did you know that New Year’s, Christmas, and Thanksgiving are 3 of the top 7 deadliest days to drive?
In addition to terrible road conditions, driving in winter is also dangerous due to drunk drivers and holiday traffic jams. Although driving during the wintertime can intimidate even the most experienced drivers, the good news is your life doesn’t have to stop once the weather gets colder.
Do you want to learn how you can stay safe driving in winter? Keep reading for 5 life-saving tips.
1. Keep up With Car Maintenance
Before you try driving a car in winter, it’s important to make sure that you’re up to date on maintenance tasks. Having your oil changed, replacing worn-out tires, checking your battery, and upgrading your windshield wipers are just a few things you can do to make each drive safer.
2. Avoid Driving in Bad Weather
This winter driving tip may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how often people get caught in terrible conditions because they didn’t keep up with the weather reports. When you stay informed, you can plan your schedule around the weather so you can make sure you have food at home and all your chores are done before a bad storm hits.
3. Never Drink and Drive
The sad news is that there are plenty of people who get a DWI during the holidays. Getting in trouble with the law can not only have serious and lasting effects on your life, but drunk driving can also make you a danger to everyone else on the road. While you don’t have to say no to some celebratory holiday drinks, you should always be prepared to have a sober driver get you home.
4. Be a Defensive Driver
Even if you avoid drinking and driving, you can’t trust everyone else to do the same. This means that you have to be alert the entire time you’re on the road to watch out for drunk drivers and other types of reckless drivers. Since icy roads can cause your tires to slip, it’s always a good idea to leave plenty of space between other cars in case you need to come to an abrupt stop.
5. Keep an Emergency Kit in Your Car
Icy driving can lead to some scary situations where you get stuck in a snowbank or run out of gas. This is why it’s crucial for every driver to prepare an emergency kit and keep it in the backseat or trunk. Some examples of items you should have in your emergency kit include blankets, food, bottled water, a flashlight, and a portable charger for your phone.
Driving in Winter Doesn’t Have to Be Dangerous
Not many people enjoy driving in winter, but if you follow these tips, you can stay safe on the roads wherever you go.
Do you want to know other ways you can make traveling safe and fun? Make sure you explore the rest of our site so you can find more helpful guides and keep up with the latest news.
Piran is the bestselling author of the Zobuz, TheHearus and other well known Blogs. Her books have sold hundred of copies and are published in different languages.
