Items filtered by date: February 2021

[Updated January 10, 2022]

Last week's winter weather resulted in multiple crashes on state and local roadways. Driving safely on wintery roads depends on driver performance in winter hazards, good vehicle maintenance, and common sense. "Weather" the winter with these tips for you and your vehicle. 

Prepare your car for winter driving conditions.

Before you head out in wintery conditions, prepare your vehicle:

• Keep windshield and windows clear.
• Keep a snow brush and scraper in your vehicle at all times.
• Your car's defroster can be supplemented by wiping the windows with a clean cloth to improve visibility.
• Check your exhaust pipe to make sure it is clear. A blocked pipe could cause a leakage of carbon monoxide gas into your car when the engine is running.
• Don't warm up your vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage. This can cause toxic carbon monoxide to build up.
• Monitor the weather conditions before beginning your trip, not just at your departure point but also at your destination. If it seems like the roads will be too hazardous, say if an ice storm, hurricane, tornado, flood, hail, or other severe weather is expected anywhere on the route you are taking, change your travel plans.
• Allow extra time to arrive at your destination. Trips can take longer during winter than other times of the year, especially if you encounter storm conditions or icy roads. And driving in inclement weather is stressful enough without the added pressure of being late, which might cloud your safe driving judgment.

Drive with extra caution.

“Failure to keep in proper lane or running off the road” and “driving too fast for conditions” are the two of the most frequent poor driver behaviors, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Bad weather makes these behaviors exponentially more dangerous, so take additional precautions on the road.