The Christmas season may be over, but the snow and ice it brought along with it isn’t. Make sure you’re safe on the road at all times with these tips from the National Safety Commission for safe driving during the winter season:Prepare Your Vehicle for Winter Driving: Get your car tuned up and winterized — especially if you plan to travel to a colder climate. Check that you have sufficient antifreeze in your coolant system, that your defrosters and heaters operate efficiently and that your wipers, lights and high beams and warning lights are all working.
Defeat Distraction: Before setting out on the highway, make sure you know how your vehicle's defrosters, wipers and lights work. Don't fiddle with the dashboard to find the ventilation switch or adjust the radio, and don't allow other passengers to distract you from the road.
Be Prepared for Low Visibility Conditions: Winter is the season of fog, rain, sleet, ice and even snow. If you find yourself driving in poor visibility, drive slowly and increase the distance between you and other vehicles. Never use your cruise control while driving in storm or poor visibility conditions.
Look Through Your Windows: Cars often "fog up" during the winter, but simply wiping a porthole to see through is unsafe; use your defrosters and heaters to keep the entire windshield and windows clear.
Know Your Braking System: Be aware of whether your vehicle is equipped with anti-lock brakes, and how this affects your driving in slick conditions. If your car does have anti-lock brakes, remember to press and hold the brakes in a skid, as your vehicle's system will adjust automatically to restore traction. If your car does not have anti-lock brakes, gently pump your brakes in a skid to reduce speed and regain traction.
Stay Ahead of the Weather: Plan your trips carefully and listen to the local weather reports or the National Weather Service for the predicted weather conditions along your travel route. Get the weather report for your route beforehand, or pull over and dial 511 to get the latest Florida road conditions.
Wear Seatbelts: Seatbelts aren't just for children or adults sitting in the front — all passengers should wear seatbelts and children should be placed in age-appropriate child-safety seats. It's the law, and it saves lives.
Have a Designated Driver: Before heading out to holiday parties, choose a designated driver from your group who will lay off the egg nog and make sure everyone gets home safely. Help keep drunk drivers off the road.
Keep an Emergency Kit: It's wise to store some items in your vehicle so they'll be available if you need them. Recommended winter items include a windshield brush, ice scraper, gloves, blankets, extra clothing, a flashlight, batteries, and water. And in all seasons, keep tools and jumper cables in your trunk as well.
Obey Traffic Laws: From speed limits to traffic lights, stop signs to right-of-way, traffic laws keep order on the road and safeguard a system that keeps travelers safe. Breaking traffic laws to save a few minutes isn't worth your safety, and certainly not the safety of other families this holiday season.
Despite the simplicity of these tips, hundreds of accidents occur each year because drivers failed to follow one or more of these safe-driving strategies. This winter, do your part to make sure all of us on the road get home safely for the holidays.
Source: The National Safety Commission