How to Prevent a Car Accident When Driving in the Snow
Snow days can be great fun, except if you are driving. Snow can be hazardous and can cause car crashes and breakdowns. If this has been worrying you, remember that you can take precautions. Here we’ll share some of our top tips for avoiding snowy road car wrecks.
Tips for Avoiding Snowy Road Car Wrecks in West Houston
What precautions can you take in snowy weather to avoid car crashes? Read on to learn our top tips for avoiding snowy road car wrecks.
1. Try Not to Drive in the Snow
It may sound obvious, but trying to avoid driving in the snow is your best chance of avoiding a car accident in bad weather. Check the weather forecast, buy groceries in advance, and try to stay off the roads.
This is because approximately 15 percent of weather-related vehicle crashes occur when it is snowing or there is sleet in the US. Twenty-five percent take place when the pavement is snowy, icy, or a state in between. With so many dangerous factors at play, such as slippery roads and obscured vision, it is essential to stay at home if you safely can.
2. Adapt Your Car
Luckily, these days, cars can be adapted to drive more safely on snowy roads. Both tire chains and snow tires can be bought ahead of time, but they need a final inspection before you drive. This is not only recommended by Joe Stephens and his team of experienced lawyers but by the government too.
You should also try to keep the tank full to make it difficult for ice to form, service the radiators and put anti-freeze in the car. All these actions will help to protect your car, making it safer for driving.
3. Drive Slowly
Driving slowly is usually dangerous, but in snowy weather, it will help you to minimize the likelihood of a serious car accident. This is because it offers extra time to react in the case your car slides on black ice or snow falls on the window screen. Driving slow gives you enough time to avoid a serious collision.
4. Increase Your Visibility
Even with the best windshield wipers, vision through the windows can become momentarily obscured in snowy weather. This is why Joe Stephens recommends staying at home – bad weather puts you and other drivers at risk of injury.
However, if you must drive, make it so that your vehicle is visible so that other cars can see you. Check your lights are working, and turn them on, even in the day. Remember that it is helpful to honk your horn as you drive around corners so that other drivers know you are there.
5. Remain Calm
In case of an emergency, and you do start to skid, remaining calm is key. If you can, try to drive your car to the side of the road to stop another vehicle from hitting you. You can use your horn to alert other drivers of your movements.
From there, use your phone to call for help and your emergency pack to keep you warm and safe while you wait for backup.
If You Were Injured in a Car Wreck While Driving in the Snow, Call West Houston Injury Attorney Joe Stephens Now
Make sure to use these tips for avoiding snowy road car wrecks. But if you are injured in a car accident, remember that help is on hand. Get in touch with Joe Stephens and his team of experienced lawyers, who are here to both defend you and fight for you.
If you’ve been injured by the negligence of another, you could hire any car accident lawyer in Katy, or you can hire a great West Houston car injury lawyer. Joe Stephens has been defending injury victims in Texas for over 3 decades from negligent individuals, companies, and greedy insurance companies. As an experienced car lawyer in Katy, TX, Joe handles all cases personally, and his staff is always available to answer questions.
The Stephens Law Firm, Car Accident Lawyers handles auto accident lawsuits across Texas, including these Houston cities.