Winter is here. The snow is here as is the ice that sometimes hides beneath the snow. Granted, living in the Midwest has its privileges but driving in the winter weather is not one of them. Ice is no friend to drivers. If you are very young or on the older side, driving in winter conditions is even more stressful. Roads covered in well-packed snow may also have a thin layer of ice underneath. Most drivers would rather stay put at home, given the luxury of such a choice. Here are a few winter driving tips that may help you avoid an accident.
There are more fatalities in Missouri and Kansas due to icy road conditions than tornadoes. In the U.S., over 116,00 people are injured, and 1,300 are killed on snowy, ice roads every winter.
Winter driving: Keep your tires properly inflated
Most car owners tend to underinflate their tires in the winter thinking more tire surface on the road is useful for traction. The fact is, an underinflated tire will roll side to side causing excessive wear and tear on the tires. It also increases your inability to control your car in snow and ice. If you underinflate your tire for snow and ice, thinking this will help the car with traction in these conditions, do you inflate them when the ice melts? More than likely not.
Overinflating your tire will make them hard, and they will slip even more.
Most accidents that happen in snow and icy conditions are the results of a slip and slide. Your car becomes uncontrollable, it slips and hits a curb or another car. If you have an accident due to heavy snow or icy road conditions, your insurance company will put the responsibility for the accident on the driver, not on the road conditions. It is best to make sure you have liability, comprehensive and collision coverage. Talk to your insurance agent about how best to ensure you are covered in the event you have an accident in wintery conditions.
Winter Driving: Insurance coverage and Accident Repairs
Talk to your insurance agent about how best to ensure you are covered in the event you have an accident in wintery conditions. If your car is damaged in a winter accident, make sure you contact Barbosa’s Kustom Kolor for your auto body repair work. Barbosa’s will fix your car properly to ensure it is free from rust and the exterior structure of the car will be expertly maintained in the repair process.