Winter Driving Tips From A Personal Injury Lawyer

Unfortunately, in our line of work, we run across many stories of individuals whose lives have been changed due to a car or motorcycle accident. That’s why we wish to offer these winter driving tips to keep you and your family safe throughout 2023.

Tips for Winter Driving

If you’ve lived in the Midwest for long, you know that our weather can turn on a dime. As a result, drivers must be prepared for any road conditions when they leave their homes throughout the winter.

Here are some helpful winter driving tips.

Be Aware of the Weather

Black ice causes a lot of accidents in the Midwest. Drivers unaware that the temperature has dipped below freezing may slide off the road when hitting an invisible patch of black ice during their morning commute.

A quick glance at the weather forecast will also allow you to plan your errands and outings for days when no precipitation is predicted.

Make sure your vehicle is stocked with emergency supplies.

It’s easy to become complacent during the winter and leave home without a coat, gloves, or hat. You may say that “it’s not that cold out” or that you are simply going to “run one errand.”

However, imagine your car breaking down on the highway – between cities – without any protection from the cold.

Make your mom happy, and always have your ice scraper, coat, gloves, and hat in the car during the winter. Make her ecstatic by driving with blankets, a snow shovel, jumper cables, a flashlight, and flares.

Slow down!

We love this Twitter post that spawned a lot of memes that describes how to drive in the snow:

“If you rarely drive on snow, just pretend you’re taking your grandma to church. There’s a platter of biscuits and two gallons of sweet tea in glass jars in the back seat. She’s wearing a new dress and holding a crock pot full of gravy.”

While the author of this Tweet certainly wanted to make readers smile, there’s a lot of truth in this post.

Don’t use your cruise control.

Your cruise control isn’t designed to react quickly enough to black ice or unexpected snow on the road. So turn off your cruise control if you are driving in an area where snow or ice is likely.

Respect snow plows.

Be cautious when driving around working snow plows. The flying snow can hit your windshield and make it impossible to see the road. So keep your distance – as much as possible – and slow down when one approaches.

Keep your gas tank filled.

If you enjoy seeing how far you can drive your car on fumes, consider waiting until the weather warms up to continue this practice. You’ll miss your car’s heater if you are stranded on the side of the road with no gas.

Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney? Contact Woods Law KC

Schedule a free consultation with Woods Law KC. Our staff is ready to listen to your story and will advise you on your best legal course of action—Call 816-398-7877 to talk with a team member.