Fall is winding down and winter is now right around the corner, and with winter comes snow and ice. Snow is an unavoidable fact of life for a lot of Americans, and we can’t just shut everything down every time it snows. When bad weather hits, the very best piece of advice is to just use your best judgement. Here are some tips to keep your safety record clean and keep you up and running:
Slow Down
Most crashes in the winter can be attributed to too high of speed. Make sure you are only going as fast as the road conditions permit. It can be very difficult to slow down or stop when it is snowing and just by slowing down a bit you can avoid an accident.
Relax
While driving in the snow can be stressful, just relax. Being too high strung can cause over reaction and over compensation, which can have dire consequences on icy roads.
Be smooth
Sudden acceleration or braking can send you careening off of the road or into another car. Controlled, fluid movements are key to keeping your vehicle under control.
Light the way
When driving in inclement weather, turn on your headlights! Even if it is during the day, having your lights on makes you more visible to the other vehicles around you, and make you easier to see from further away.
Signal
Always signal before you merge, turn, or switch lanes. If you let your blinker go three blinks before switching lanes in good weather, take a little extra time to get over in the snow or ice. If you are planning on going a lot slower than the rest of traffic, get into the far right lane and put your hazard lights on, this will indicate to other drivers that you are going a lot slower than they are.
Winter weather can be difficult to navigate and can be hazardous, but if you take your time and pay attention, you can get through this winter with your clean safety record intact. If you are an experienced driver with a clean driving record, we want you! Contact us today to speak to a recruiter!