Prevent Car Crashes from Home This Winter

Winter weather is dangerous for driving. Snow, sleet, and ice can create unsafe road conditions, resulting in traffic jams and fatal car crashes. Nearly 76,000 people are injured in auto crashes during snowfall or sleet every year. The good news is that there are various tips you can use to prevent car crashes from home this winter. Read on to learn more about them.

1. Maintain Your Car

Car accident prevention begins with ensuring your vehicle is well-maintained. While many accidents occur because of careless or distracted driving, lack of vehicle maintenance also causes accidents. That said, you may avoid car crashes this winter by maintaining your car regularly.

One maintenance practice involves checking your tires. Since snow and ice can cause roads to become slippery, having good tires can help you avoid crashes. Inspect the tires for wear and tear, cracks, and alignment. Replace the tires if they are worn out. Ensure your tires are inflated at all times to keep you safe and improve gas mileage.

Another maintenance is to service your brakes, headlight lights, and indicators. These components play a huge role in ensuring safe driving. Have a professional check your brake pads and rotors. The headlights and indicators should also be in good condition to enable you to drive safely during winter weather. Also, ensure your car’s wiper blades are functional and regularly fill vehicle fluids, like steering oil, transmission oil, and brake fluids.

Lastly, you can maintain your car by keeping it in the garage during winter. After installation, more than 45% of garage owners do not get garage door inspection services. An enclosed garage with a proper garage door will keep your car safe and prepare it for driving in the winter weather. Be sure to stay up-to-date on your garage door inspections to ensure that this space is safe and accessible during the winter months.

2. Check Weather Forecast

The second way to prevent car crashes from home this winter is to check the weather forecast before hitting the road. Check the expected weather conditions the previous day before you drive. You should only drive if the conditions are conducive to safe travel. Avoid hitting the road with your car snowstorms or fogs are expected. If you must drive under harsh weather conditions, ensure you drive carefully and slowly.

Looking at the weather forecast allows you to plan beforehand, allowing you to drive on alternative roads in areas that will not be experiencing harsh weather conditions. You can check the weather forecast on your television, listen to radio forecasts, or use weather forecast apps on your phone, tablet, and other devices.

3. Fill Up Your Gas Tank

Lastly, ensure your gas tank is filled up before leaving home. The danger of driving a car running out of fuel during winter is that it can experience car stalling and sudden stops, which could result in road crashes. Filling up your car tank will prevent you from this experience. Having enough fuel also allows you to keep your car running for warmth if you get stuck in traffic. Moreover, a filled tank prevents freeing your fuel lines and dirt trapped in the fuel tank from getting into the fuel filter. Filling up your tank will protect your car and ensure your safety.

Bonus Tip: Carry a Safety Kit

Even if your car is well-maintained and the weather conditions are good, it would be best to carry a safety kit when leaving home in case of any unforeseen circumstances. The safety kit should carry blankets, sleeping bags, and clothing to use if you get stuck or get too cold. Carry some food, water, a flashlight, and a first aid kit. Your safety kit should also have an ice scraper, snow brush, shovel, windshield washer, and emergency flares or reflectors. A fully equipped safety kit will enable you to deal with any stubborn issue you may encounter on the road during winter.

The U.S. records about 6 million accidents every year. These incidences cause injuries and deaths. To avoid being a statistic, follow the tips mentioned here to prevent car crashes from home this winter. When in doubt about the weather, choosing to stay home is the best and safest option available.