People often wonder what they can do to stay safe while driving in the winter weather. Stretches of it can be quite bad in Illinois, with snow and ice covering the roads.
A few things that they often settle on are winter tires, vehicles with all-wheel-drive systems and anti-lock braking systems that keep from locking the tires up on the ice. All of those things are good. They can all help. Nothing is better for your car than a set of winter tires if you want to stay in control.
However, you do not want to trust your safety simply to the products and systems you use. You need to know how to drive properly, and that means trying to drive smoothly. You should:
- Change lanes slowly
- Never make sharp movements or corrections
- Never drive aggressively
- Give yourself extra time to slow down and speed up
- Leave extra space between you and the next car
- Turn the wheel carefully, keeping a good grip with both hands
Think of simply guiding your car to your location. On the summer roads, jerking the wheel to make a sudden lane change may feel safe. In the winter, that can send your car spinning or sliding out of control. Plan ahead, stay alert and pay attention, so you never have to do anything so sudden.
Knowing how to drive well in the winter is very helpful, and it can keep you out of accidents, but you can’t trust everyone else on the roads to do the same thing. If someone else makes a mistake and causes a crash, you may need to seek financial compensation.