Driving Tips For Bad Weather

Driving In Snow And Ice

Short of driving through a hurricane or straight towards a tornado, driving in snow or ice is one of the most dangerous things you can do when you get behind the wheel.

Things can change quickly during a snowstorm, and things can even turn deadly in the middle of a blizzard.

Even if the storm has ended, the streets will still be slippery and present safety hazards and visibility issues.

Some of the most tragic accidents occur during icy driving conditions.

This is often because of black ice that can be invisible to the human eye.

Despite being called black ice, the ice is actually completely transparent, almost invisible.

Driving on icy, slippery roads should not be taken lightly and needs to be avoided if at all possible, even if you do consider yourself a safe driver.

And if you have to drive during a snowstorm, you need to be prepared to get stuck.

We've even seen big four-wheel-drive pickup trucks get stuck in the snow, so don't think it can't happen to you.

When you have to drive in the snow, pack rock salt and sand in your vehicle, as well as snow shovels in case of emergencies.

It's also a good idea to have a few extra layers of clothing and a blanket or two if you get stranded.

Always have a pair of insulated gloves, an emergency kit, a light, and windshield scrapers in your car.

If you get trapped on the road in the middle of a blizzard, get as far off the road as possible without risking getting stuck.

Turn on your hazard lights, put out road flares if you have them, and change a distress flag (like an old rag or a shirt).

If there's no safe shelter nearby, like a gas station or rest area, just stay in your car instead of trying to find help.

You can turn your car on once an hour for 10 minutes to help keep warm in the cold weather, but make sure a window is cracked to allow for proper ventilation.

If the snow is coming down hard, you'll need to get out periodically and make sure snow isn't accumulating in your exhaust pipe.

If it's nighttime, turn on your interior lights so emergency vehicles can find you.

Proving Negligence in a Weather-Related Car Accident

Even if you do all you can to stay safe in extreme weather and adverse conditions, there's still a chance you can be involved in an accident due to the negligence of another driver.

Even if you do everything right in extreme weather conditions, chances are, someone else on the road isn't.

Inclement weather such as fog, rain, sleet, snow, and ice can reduce visibility, traction, speed control, and brake performance, but some people still think they are immune to car accidents.

Every driver who has to drive in unsafe road conditions should drive slower and pay extra attention to their surroundings.

Drivers who don't do these things not only put their lives at risk, but they are also endangering everyone else on the road with them.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, there are more than 1.3 million car crashes every year due to bad weather conditions, even things as seemingly harmless as wet roads.

These crashes result in around 6,000 deaths and 480,000 injuries every year.

And even though heavy rain, sleet, snow, and ice can create dangerous driving conditions, drivers can still be held responsible if they are involved in accidents while driving in adverse weather conditions.

The at-fault driver's insurance company will likely try to deny responsibility for the accident and claim that the weather was the reason the accident occurred.

And while the weather likely played a part in the accident, the at-fault driver may have failed to take necessary safety precautions.

They may not have slowed down to a safe speed, used their headlights during times of limited visibility, given themselves plenty of time to stop, or completely cleared snow/ice from their vehicle with an ice scraper before driving.

A good car accident attorney can help determine whether driver negligence played a part in your crash.