Heavy rain and snow may result in happy school children that get the day off, but wet and frozen pavement contributes to nearly 1.2 million traffic accidents each year. You can’t prevent the inclement weather brought by fall and winter. However, you can follow important tips the next time you are driving in a heavy down pour or snow storm.
This article discusses five safety tips that may help you avoid or reduce the likelihood of getting into a serious accident.
- Safety Starts Before Your Drive: Safety starts before you drive. Your goal when getting behind the wheel should be to be seen by other motorists on the road. You should make sure all headlights, brake lights, and taillights properly function so other motorists can see you during a storm. You should replace your windshield wiper inserts to prevent streaking on your window.
- Avoid Cruise Control: The cruise control feature may work great in dry conditions. However, when the roads are wet or frozen, the chance of losing control when using this function on your vehicle can increase. For instance, if you need to prevent loss of traction in a downpour, you will need to reduce your speed by lifting your foot off the accelerator. This cannot be done if your cruise control function is engaged.
- Slow Down: You should reduce your speed limit during a serious rainstorm or snowstorm, even if it means driving significantly slower than the posted speed limit. The faster that you drive, the less control you will have over your car and the less time you will have to react to road conditions. Additionally, slowing down can reduce the risk of hydroplaning during wet weather.
- Leave Plenty of Room With Car In Front: Leaving plenty of room with the car in front of you during inclement weather can be critical to reducing the chance of getting into an accident. Allowing ample stopping distance with other cars will allow you more time and distance to apply the brakes and avoid both hitting the car in front of your or getting hit from the back.
- Do Not Get Distracted: Distracted driving can be dangerous in any type of weather, but especially more so in inclement weather. When you are focused on something other than the road while you are driving, it can prevent you from quickly reacting and cause you to hit someone or get hit by another motorist. It is best to turn of your phone (or at least put it on silent), not change radio stations and not be distracted by another passenger in the car.
Call a New York Personal Injury Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries in an accident that was caused by the reckless actions of another party, you may have a valid personal injury claim and be entitled to monetary compensation. For more information or to consult with one of our experienced New York personal injury accident attorneys, please call Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. at 1-800-529-9997.
