When the temperature plunges and the snow increases, it is critical for vehicle operators to raise their attention to safety on the road. With adequate planning, some protective driving procedures and an eye on the weather report, vehicle operators can shield themselves and their motor vehicles during the long cold winter time.
The industry experts on winter weather driving calamities at CARSTAR Arnold in Arnold, Missouri repair thousands of vehicles each year wrecked in wintry, icy catastrophes. They give road users some helpful pointers to help with making winter time driving more safe.
• Make sure that any and all mirrors are clear and properly fine-tuned for field of vision
• Clean your car headlights and check out the lightbulbs in all of the car lights – back and front
• Add de-icer to your windshield wiper fluid
• Make sure your windshield wipers are free of ice in advance of heading out on the highway – and think about upgrading with new flexible windshield wipers before the snowfall strikes
Go Slow and Stay Back:
• Put extra distance in between your vehicle and the motor vehicle ahead of you for more safety
• Don't involve the use of cruise control on icy roads
• When you find snow or ice on the surface in Arnold, Oakville, Imperial, or Jefferson County, MO, reduce the speed of your car to a safe limit
• Use cautiousness on bridges, overpasses, and seldom traveled freeways since these may well be slippery due to ice
• Use extreme caution when you're driving on one-lane roadways
Skidding Smartly
Should the rear wheels slip...
• Bring your foot off the gas
• Should you have standard brakes, pump them carefully
• If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), don't pump the brake system. Apply regular pressure to the brake system. You are going to feel the braking system pulse — it's typical
• Steer in the direction you will want the forward tires to go. If for instance the back wheels are moving left, steer left. If they're moving right, steer right
• If your rear wheels get started on sliding the other way when you recuperate, ease the steering wheel in the direction of that side. You might have to steer left and right once or twice to get your vehicle completely under control
When your forward wheels skid...
• Bring your foot off the gas and switch to neutral, but be sure not to try to steer at once.
• As the wheels skid laterally, they're going to slow the motor vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and speed up slowly
Prepare for Snow:
• If your car has rear wheel drive, put bags of sand or kitty litter to help keep your vehicle easier to control on Arnold, MO streets
• Pack up a snow day kit in the event you get stuck. Valuable items to include are a blanket, gloves, hat, water, granola bars, flashlight and additional battery packs, extra mobile phone battery pack, flares, wooden matches in water-proof carrier, compass, a pair of scissors, rope and first-aid kit.
• Create a tool kit for digging your vehicle out with foldable shovel, 2x4 planks to position under tires, ice scraper and snow brush, reflective triangles, flares and exterior windshield cleaner
You can never be too cautious when getting behind the wheel in winter months. Crashes can occur quickly on slippery, slippery streets, so decelerating and making the extra precautions can really make the difference.
If the adverse winter accident does come about, we recommend having a crash plan set up so you won't be stranded on the roadside waiting for assistance. CARSTAR Arnold in Arnold, Missouri has top-notch, reliable repair service. Just call 1-800-CARSTAR after you have an incident and they're going to send the tow truck, get hold of your insurer, arrange for a rental car and repair your vehicle.
