Driver Safety Tips for Winter

Winter Driving Safety Requires Planning

Pileups on major highways. Fender benders around every corner. Injuries. Increased insurance premiums. Fatalities. Winter is wreaking havoc on our roads, causing costly and sometimes fatal accidents, damaging driving records and driving up insurance rates.

Even in March and April, it.s becoming increasingly common to see winter weather as we approach spring. As we.re quickly finding out with violent storms and wacky weather, winter driving safety presents challenges for even the most seasoned drivers.

There.s a lot pertaining to winter driving safety that first-time drivers should think about before they get behind the wheel. Driving means much more than stepping on a pedal and moving a wheel. Driving requires concentration. And equally important, it requires being aware of your changing surroundings as seasons progress . and sometimes regress!

Unfortunately, as the winter season goes by, and as driving routes become more familiar, drivers tend to become a little more relaxed and a little less aware. And, in the case of first-time drivers, it sometimes sneaks up without the experience to help get drivers out of trouble in a jam.

Mix this new extreme comfort level with a sudden change in weather and our once .familiar. route will quickly turn to something completely unfamiliar and unexpected, causing accidents, police reports and it may necessitate a trip to traffic school or defensive driving classes to stave off getting costly points on your drivers. license. For young, first-time drivers those points on the driving record can be devastating.

But there is something we can do about it.We can think ahead. Be prepared. Understand that when the whether changes, our driver safety habits have to change with it.

These days you can take online driver safety training and in a couple of hours brush up on your winter defensive driving skills and techniques. And, you might even get a break in your insurance rates if you show your certificate of completion to you insurance provider. This can be pretty compelling for first-time drivers who often have the highest insurance rates.

Too many first-time drivers are sent to defensive driving classes or traffic school for seemingly avoidable accidents and violations after the fact. Why learn it after the fact when you can get information from a defensive driving course upfront that could prevent accidents? Even in extreme weather, a good driver who understands the rules of the road and how to handle changing road conditions will be able to decrease their chance of an accident if they refresh their defensive driving skills. For example:

• If you live in a climate that has traditionally never seen temperatures drop below the freezing mark . and this year you experienced colder weather than normal . you could be in for a big surprise the next time you venture into traffic on a cold, rainy day. Driving on icy roads is a lot different from driving on dry asphalt. Do you remember the proper techniques to control these situations?
• A traditional rainstorm in some warmer climate areas can easily turn to ice as the temperature drops. And when the roads are icy, standard driving habits no longer apply. If you leave your house unaware of the change in environment, your familiar, safe route can turn deadly. What should you do?
• A quick onset of fog means reduced visibility for you and other drivers as well. Think proactively. Turn on your 4-way flashers so that other drivers are aware that you.re ahead of them. This will help other drivers keep their distance and hopefully prevent them from rear-ending your vehicle. The same concept should be applied to snow storm conditions or any other time visibility is reduced.
• Knowing the answers to these questions and more will help the first-time driver to keep their wits about them when driver safety skills are most important. So think ahead next time you get into your car. Consider proactively taking online driver safety training to strengthen your skills. It will increase your awareness and improve your knowledge on how to handle those hazardous winter driving conditions before you spin out of control and blank out on the correct techniques to manage treacherous winter driving.