While April marks the end of a long, snow covered winter, spring weather presents us with a new set of safety exposures to be aware of while behind the wheel. Always make sure your tires are safe. Balding tires will slide especially on newly-wet pavement.
Rain/Flooding: Even if it’s simply misting, reduce your speed, after all it doesn’t take much water to cause slippery conditions. To help avoid a pile up, make sure you increase your following distance.
Pot holes: Severe weather, such as freezing cold and icy conditions often lead to loads of potholes. While a pothole can be difficult to spot, there are ways to avoid damaging your vehicle. Properly inflated tires hold up better against potholes, so double check your tire pressure and fill up if needed. If a pothole is unavoidable, slow down but don’t break directly over the pothole- this may cause more damage. Keep in mind puddles of water may be hiding a pothole.
Fog: A foggy road is immensely dangerous for motorists. Drive-safely.net suggests taking the following steps when you encounter fog: don’t use high beams- they will actually decrease your visibility, follow the lines to be certain you are in your lane, increase following distance between other motorists, and if you need to stop driving- pull over to the furthest extent you can, ideally a parking lot.
For more information about safe driving in hazardous conditions click here.
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