Winter weather can create a lot of the toughest driving conditions of the entire year. And, months between October and February lead the list for accidents, automotive damages and accidental injury in the Columbia, Illinois area.
When the local climate plunges and the snow rises, it is crucial for road users to maximize their focus on safety on the streets. With the correct preparation, some preventative driving measures and a close look on the weather report, vehicle operators can protect themselves and their motor vehicles during the long cold winter season.
The gurus on winter weather driving mishaps at Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, IL repair quite a few automobiles every year harmed in snowy, icy car accidents. They provide car owners some tips for making winter time traveling less dangerous.
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Check Your Visibility:
• Ensure that each of the mirrors are clear and properly adjusted for visibility
• Thoroughly clean your car headlights and look at the lightbulbs in each of your car lights – front and rear
• Add de-icer to your windshield wiper fluid
• Make sure that your windshield wipers are free of ice in advance of venturing out on the highway – and consider updating with new flexible windshield wipers before the precipitate hits
Go slow and Keep Back:
• Try to leave even more distance in between your car or truck and the car before you for added protection
• Don't apply cruise control on icy roadways
• When you find snow or ice on the surface in Columbia, Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg, or Athens, IL, drop the speed of your vehicle to a safe limit
• Use extreme caution on bridgework, overpasses, and very sporadically traveled freeways because these may perhaps be slick from ice
• Use extra caution when you are driving on one-lane roads
Skidding Smartly
When your rear tires slip...
• Take your foot off the accelerator pedal
• Should you have standard brakes, pump them gently
• If you have got anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brake system. Apply firm pressure to the braking system. You are going to feel the braking system pulse — that is typical
• Steer in the direction that you want the forward wheels to move. If for example the rear tires are slipping left, steer left. If they're slipping right, steer right
• If your back wheels start slipping the other way whenever you recover, ease the steering wheel in the direction of that side. You may have to steer right and left a couple of times to truly get your motor vehicle thoroughly under control
In case your front tires slip...
• Bring your foot off of the gas and move to neutral, but don't try to steer at once.
• As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the automobile and traction will come back. As it does, steer in the direction you wish to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and speed up gently
Prepare for Snow:
• If your automobile has rear wheel drive, put bags of sand or kitty litter to help keep your car or truck easier to control on Columbia, IL roads
• Pack a snow day kit in case you get stuck. Vital items to include are a blanket, gloves, hat, water, granola bars, flashlight and additional battery packs, additional cellular phone battery pack, flares, wooden matches in watertight carrier, compass, a pair of scissors, rope and first aid kit.
• Prepare a toolbox for digging your car out with foldable spade, 2x4 planks to place beneath car tires, ice scraper and snow brush, reflective triangles, flares and outside windshield cleaner
You can't ever be too cautious when operating a motor vehicle in cold weather. Crashes can happen quickly on slippery, frozen streets, so going slower and taking the extra precautions can seriously make the difference.
If the unfortunate winter accident does occur, we encourage having a collision plan set up so you won't be stuck on the wayside waiting for help. Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, IL provides top-notch, dependable repair service. Just call 1-800-CARSTAR as soon as you have an incident and they'll send the tow truck, get hold of your insurance provider, arrange for a rental car and fix your car or truck.
When the local climate plunges and the snow rises, it is crucial for road users to maximize their focus on safety on the streets. With the correct preparation, some preventative driving measures and a close look on the weather report, vehicle operators can protect themselves and their motor vehicles during the long cold winter season.
The gurus on winter weather driving mishaps at Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, IL repair quite a few automobiles every year harmed in snowy, icy car accidents. They provide car owners some tips for making winter time traveling less dangerous.
• Ensure that each of the mirrors are clear and properly adjusted for visibility
• Thoroughly clean your car headlights and look at the lightbulbs in each of your car lights – front and rear
• Add de-icer to your windshield wiper fluid
• Make sure that your windshield wipers are free of ice in advance of venturing out on the highway – and consider updating with new flexible windshield wipers before the precipitate hits
Go slow and Keep Back:
• Try to leave even more distance in between your car or truck and the car before you for added protection
• Don't apply cruise control on icy roadways
• When you find snow or ice on the surface in Columbia, Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg, or Athens, IL, drop the speed of your vehicle to a safe limit
• Use extreme caution on bridgework, overpasses, and very sporadically traveled freeways because these may perhaps be slick from ice
• Use extra caution when you are driving on one-lane roads
Skidding Smartly
When your rear tires slip...
• Take your foot off the accelerator pedal
• Should you have standard brakes, pump them gently
• If you have got anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brake system. Apply firm pressure to the braking system. You are going to feel the braking system pulse — that is typical
• Steer in the direction that you want the forward wheels to move. If for example the rear tires are slipping left, steer left. If they're slipping right, steer right
• If your back wheels start slipping the other way whenever you recover, ease the steering wheel in the direction of that side. You may have to steer right and left a couple of times to truly get your motor vehicle thoroughly under control
In case your front tires slip...
• Bring your foot off of the gas and move to neutral, but don't try to steer at once.
• As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the automobile and traction will come back. As it does, steer in the direction you wish to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and speed up gently
Prepare for Snow:
• If your automobile has rear wheel drive, put bags of sand or kitty litter to help keep your car or truck easier to control on Columbia, IL roads
• Pack a snow day kit in case you get stuck. Vital items to include are a blanket, gloves, hat, water, granola bars, flashlight and additional battery packs, additional cellular phone battery pack, flares, wooden matches in watertight carrier, compass, a pair of scissors, rope and first aid kit.
• Prepare a toolbox for digging your car out with foldable spade, 2x4 planks to place beneath car tires, ice scraper and snow brush, reflective triangles, flares and outside windshield cleaner
You can't ever be too cautious when operating a motor vehicle in cold weather. Crashes can happen quickly on slippery, frozen streets, so going slower and taking the extra precautions can seriously make the difference.
If the unfortunate winter accident does occur, we encourage having a collision plan set up so you won't be stuck on the wayside waiting for help. Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, IL provides top-notch, dependable repair service. Just call 1-800-CARSTAR as soon as you have an incident and they'll send the tow truck, get hold of your insurance provider, arrange for a rental car and fix your car or truck.