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Luke ShaffSeattle is not known for their snow, but every once in a while, we do get snow. Snow, or no snow the temperatures drop substantially from the fall and driving can get tricky. Here are five tips about driving in the winter you should keep in mind while travelling.
1. Winterize your car. Ensure that your battery has good life (as when the temperatures drop, your battery uses more energy), all your fluids are full, you have a full gas tank and that your brakes are up to date. Winterizing and ensuring your car is up to date can make a huge difference when travelling from point a to point b.
2. As a general rule in driving you should be giving yourself 3-4 seconds (or an entire car length) between you and the car in front of you. During the winter time, this should be DOUBLED. Give yourself 6-8 second (or TWO car lengths) between you and the car in front of you.
3. Check the weather and PLAN your route. Before leaving for a trip whether it be big or small, always look to see what the weather is going to be. If it looks like you will not be able to go a certain way, plan how you will get there and the estimated time it will take. In snow and winter weather plan for double the amount of time to get from one place to another.
4. Always be aware of black ice and icy roads. Although there might not be snow on the ground, when temperatures drop rapidly ice/frost build up on the roads, and this can make for an easy accident if you are not careful. Over 150,000 auto accidents a year is caused by ice on the road. Black ice is the most common and can be highly dangerous when travelling at high speeds and being unaware of the road conditions.
5. Lastly, if you do not have to drive in winter weather…DON’T. Stay home and keep everyone safe. If you can walk to where you need to go, do so. Shop and stock up on food and water before winter weather hits, so it will decrease your chances in needing to go out.
Winter weather can be dangerous for cities that do not get a lot of it, Seattle being one. When driving and preparing for the winter make sure to check all of these items off. Most panic is caused by not being prepared. Prepare yourself, do not panic, and as always, stay safe.
