Driving Tips for the Winter Season

The Christmas season is here again. Christmas trees. Snow. Ice. And yes, accidents! The winter can be an awesome time for kids and adults. We can make snowmen. Throw snowballs at each other and slide down hills covered with snow!
But Christmas can also be a season of accidents, especially in the roads and highways. Some drivers do well in slick, ice-paved roads. But there are those who just can't get the hang of it. For this reason, you should be careful when you leave home for work. Or if you will have to use your car in going anywhere. We should be mindful of safety in the roads. Remember that it's not just about you. There are also individuals and families in the streets that may be endangered if you are careful.

Here are several winter driving tips you can follow to ensure your safety and that of your loved ones.

Prepare your car for the winter season. What do you need to prepare?

Antifreeze
Your car will use more amounts of windscreen wiper fluid. You should make sure that it has an anti-freeze mix. You can put this in your car's water bottle. If your washer liquid froze in the middle of the road, you would be hard-pressed and stranded. No matter how much cleaning you make, you won't solve the problem.

Prepare a Survival Kit
Visit a nearby supermarket and buy a torch, windshield de-icer, shovel, emergency food supplies, ice scraper, tow rope and any other handy items you would need in the case of an emergency. It pays to be prepared. You won't be caught off-guard if anything happens.

Check your tires
Do the threads of your car tires have the correct depth? They should be 3mm or more to survive the slick and slippery roads of winter. Your tires should also have the right inflation pressure. After all, cold air compresses so your tire pressure tends to depress during the winter.

Have full fuel
Make sure that your fuel tank is full. You just might need in case you're driving and you got stuck somewhere. Conserve it, too and be more efficient.

Check your batteries
After every 5 years, batteries need to be changed. Before travelling, make sure your batteries are in good order and that they do not have any problems at all!

Use snow chains on the tires
In case you get trapped in snow, fit snow chains to the tires of your car. You will be able to resume your journey without much ado. Just take them off if road conditions improve. They are a bit expensive but the investment is worth it!

Don't accelerate and brake suddenly while driving on snowy, slippery roads. Just drive smoothly. If you brake suddenly, you may still skid and slide and you may have trouble controlling the car. In case your car starts skidding, just take your foot off the accelerator and take control.

Charge your cellphone fully
You never know what might happen in the streets. With your mobile phone, you can easily contact anyone.

Invest in a good electronic stability control gadget. They will automatically apply brakes to wheels in the event that you skid or slide. Keep a shovel handy!

Before leaving home, listen to weather forecasts. It pays to be prepared. If the weather is severe, don't leave home at all. You just might get stuck and meet some accidents on the road.

Don't use cruise control in icy roads and extreme weather conditions.

Just follow these tips if you need to go out during the winter for work and any other reasons. Make sure that your car insurance is also current and in place. Otherwise, you will not be covered in case of any problem that occurs.

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