The roads in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and surrounding areas become less safe during the winter as a result of bad weather conditions. The Federal Highway Administration provided detailed information on the impact of bad weather conditions. Fog, for example, will reduce visibility while precipitation affects visibility distance and pavement friction as well as increases the chances of lane obstructions occurring.
A car accident lawyer knows that many motorists make driving mistakes that exacerbate the risks of winter driving. Motorists should follow some basic driving safety tips to reduce the chances that a collision will occur.
How to Reduce Winter Driving Dangers
AAA has provided some advice to motorists who want to reduce the chance that they will become involved in a winter driving accident. Motorists driving during winter should:
- Always check the weather before going out anywhere. Non-essential trips should be postponed when the weather report indicates that conditions will be bad. Drivers need to be especially alert for signs of bad weather if they are going to be driving to more remote areas. Not only are these areas less likely to have roads cleared, but drivers could find themselves alone and without anyone to come to their assistance if an accident happens in a remote place.
- Keep the car's gas tank at least half full. This will reduce the chances of the gas lines freezing. Motorists also frequently become caught in blizzards or traffic jams caused by bad weather and they end up finding themselves running out of gas. If you have your gas tank mostly full, this will be less of a concern for you.
- Know how your vehicle's brakes work. Drivers with antilock brakes should keep their heel on the floor and press the brakes firmly and steadily with the ball of their foot. Do not slam on the brakes, as you could cause your vehicle to skid out of control and increase the chances that a collision will occur.
- Leave yourself plenty of space. You do not want to follow the car in front of you too closely because you take longer to stop when the weather is bad and ice is on the roads. You need to leave time to react in case the motorist in the lead vehicle does something unexpected or has a problem. While a safe following distance is normally around three to four seconds, the safe distance increases to as much as eight to 10 seconds during times when the weather is bad.
- Slow down. Driving slowly during winter is important because you need to do everything more slowly when the weather is bad. Accelerating and decelerating more slowly can help reduce the chances of losing control of your car, as can using a lower speed when you make turns.
The Federal Highway Administration has indicated that around 23 percent of car crashes in the United States are related to bad weather events. This winter, you need to follow these safety tips and exercise reasonable caution when on the roads so that you reduce the chances of becoming a crash victim.
An attorney at Lawter & Associates, Attorneys at Law, PLLC can help after a motor vehicle accident. Call 866-584-1027 or 866-584-1028 for a free case evaluation. Serving Tulsa, Oklahoma City and surrounding areas.