Despite its beauty, winter is pretty tough on Utah drivers. To help avoid future accidents, sliding, or even a possible breakdown on a cold snowy night, make sure to follow these tips to help get yourself and your car winter ready.
Prepare Yourself for Bad Weather:
- First, prepare yourself for the upcoming bad weather (and bad road) conditions. As drivers, prepare to have to drive slower when the conditions cause roads to become wet or icy, and make sure to have enough space between you and the car in front of you just in case you do slide.
- Help yourself further by avoiding the temptation to stay with traffic. Just go at your own pace, move to the right, and let the more aggressive traffic pass.
Tips for Winterizing Your Car:
- Make sure you can see clearly out of your windshield (i.e. clean wiper blades, enough winter windshield wiper fluid, etc).
- Give your vehicle the traction it needs by having the right tire pressure. When the weather gets colder, it can deflate your tires which causes the tire pressure to go down, thus giving you less traction. Without good traction, your car is more likely to slip and slide on wet roads, snow and even black ice.
- Double check your belts and hoses when you go in for a routine car checkup. Cold weather can strain your belts and hoses, and a quick check can save you money and spare you from the possibility of disaster if one of them snaps while driving in the winter.
- Make sure your batter can function in colder temperatures. Even though it may have worked all year long, the winter can reduce a battery's capacity. Before it gets too cold, check under your hood and check the manufacture date of your battery. If it's been 3--4 years since it was manufactured, it is probably time to change it.
- Be prepared for the worst by carrying an emergency kit with you at all times. Things like a blanket, extra water or food, an ice scraper, a flashlight, jumper cables, flares, a took kit, a first aid kit and a bag of abrasive materials could help save you when if stuck in a tough situation.
- Lastly, and most important, make sure you have a good insurance plan. Before winter time fully hits is a great time to review your insurance limits to ensure that you will be covered efficiently in the chance of an accident. Craig Swapp highly recommends the 100/300 coverage plan.
Utah is a beautiful state during the winter, but it can also be cold and unpredictable. Do your best to protect yourself and your loved ones by getting your vehicle ready for winter driving, Follow Craig Swapp & Associates on Facebook for more helpful tips, and don`t hesitate to contact us if you or anyone close to you needs experienced legal help this winter. Stay safe Utah.
