Winter Driving Safety Tips that Can Reduce Your Risk of a Crash

Winter Driving Safety Tips that Can Reduce Your Risk of a Crash

While the cold, icy weather of winter can impact the performance of your car, as noted in our last blog, winter conditions can also introduce other challenges for drivers. And understanding what these challenges usually are can be critical to adjusting your driving behaviors to promote optimal safety during your wintertime travels.

How to Adjust Your Driving Habits for Safe Winter Travels

  1. Keep your gas tank at least ½ full at all times – A half-full gas tank can prevent line freeze ups. It can also mean that you have enough fuel to run your vehicle for warmth if you are stuck on the roadside during the cold of winter.
  2. Take it slower – While you should generally drive at least 5 mph slower than the posted speed limit when the weather conditions are more extreme, it is also advisable to accelerate/decelerate more slowly in order to maintain as much traction as possible with the roads.
  3. Leave far more room between vehicles – Double or even triple the amount of room you leave between your car and vehicles you are following. This can give you plenty of room to stop on slick roads if the motorists you are following end up slamming on the brakes immediately (because they are distracted or impaired, for instance).
  4. Check the weather and your course before hitting the road – This is a great wintertime habit for all drivers in colder regions of the nation because it can alert them to possible hazards they may face on the roads. When these checks indicate that the weather may be particularly extreme or that a specific route may be blocked/backed up/closed, it’s generally advised that drivers consider rescheduling their trip/plans (putting them off until the weather and roads are safer).
  5. Always buckle up – This is a driving safety tip for any time of the year because wearing a seatbelt can reduce your risk of a serious (or life-threatening) injury by about 45 percent when a crash happens.

Contact a Beaverton Car Accident Attorney at the Weimar Law Offices

If you have been injured in a traffic accident, Beaverton Car Accident Attorney Linda Weimar is ready to aggressively advocate your rights both inside and outside of the courtroom.

Since 1997, Attorney Linda Weimar has been dedicated to providing the highest quality legal services to injured people and to holding negligent parties accountable for their careless and reckless behaviors. This means that we can always be relied on to provide compassionate support to our clients while aggressively pursuing their rights to compensation for their injuries and losses.

To get professional legal advice during a free initial consult, call us at (503) 640-5000 or email us using the Contact form on this page. From our offices in Beaverton, Attorney Linda Weimar represents people with various types of personal injury claims throughout Washington County, including in West Side and Hillsboro.