From Forbes Magazine:If you’ve ever driven in the snow, this stat should come as no surprise: Bad weather contributes to 20% of highway fatalities. So, here are four deadly mistakes of winter driving – and how to avoid them.
- The most common winter driving error and the most dangerous is driving too fast. Slippery roads make mistakes happen faster and more dramatically. In other words, a wheel turned too quickly or a brake stomped too hard can easily cause you to slide. All the antilock brakes and 4-wheel drives in the world won’t help you. Be especially careful turning corners, where your wheels can easily lose their grip. Try braking slowly before you get to the corner, and accelerating gently out of it.
- Another deadly winter driving mistake: Following too closely during bad weather. On a dry summer day, following three seconds behind another car is smart, but in snowy conditions, stopping distance increases dramatically – so double your following distance. To see if you’re too close, start counting when the car in front of you passes a sign. One 1-thousand, two 1-thousand. If you pass the sign before you count to six, back off.
- Another winter-driving mistake: Not carrying emergency gear. If you get stuck in the snow, have car trouble, or have an accident, your life could depend on your supplies. So, during the winter, always carry coats, hats, gloves and socks, road flares, tire chains, jumper cables, a shovel, and kitty litter for traction on slippery surfaces. You should also have a first aid kid, a flashlight, water, nuts, dried fruit and granola bars, and matches in a waterproof container.
- One final winter driving mistake: Leaving your car if you’re stranded. Unless you’re in imminent danger, your car’s the warmest, safest place to wait until help arrives, and it’ll be easier to find than you will be on foot. Just be sure your exhaust pipe is clear of snow, ice or mud, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, and run the engine for 10 minutes each hour for heat.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment