There are some driving techniques and behaviors that will help you reduce your risk for an accident when you are driving in these formidable conditions. Driving appropriately for winter roads will help you and others around you stay safe.
Tips For Safe Winter Driving In Illinois
- Keep your truck in working condition by having it regularly inspected to check antifreeze levels, engine oil, and tire pressure. Your mechanic can look your vehicle over and ensure that it will be able to take on the tough winter conditions.
- Take it slower in winter weather conditions especially when you are entering intersections or turning around corners. Your tires will have less traction and grip on the road which makes driving slower very important to make up for your reduced control. Additionally, your environment can change quickly in these conditions, driving slowly will allow you a better ability to react to any changes and avoid hazards.
- Keep ample space between you and other vehicles so that you have enough room to make a stop when necessary or turn out of the way of an unpredictable danger that could arise. Remember, the stopping distance for icy roads is 10 times what you would experience on dry roads. The more space you give yourself the better.
- Jerky braking and sudden acceleration can increase sliding on ice and losing control of your vehicle. Smoothly slow down to a stop or to reduce speed and slowly add weight to the gas to add some speed. The key is using our brakes and gas lightly.
- Look at the tires around you to determine if the roads are wetter or more icy. When there is a lot of spray coming up from tires the road is going to have more wet conditions. Less spray means that the road will be icier so use extra caution when you are traveling on these slick surfaces.
- Visibility is extremely important so always have your truck lights on in winter weather conditions. Allowing others on the road to see you via your headlights will increase your safety as well as that of the other drivers around you
- Don’t engage in hard braking when you are confronted with a hazard, rather use evasive actions to move around issues on the road. You should only be driving at a maximum speed of 30 mph when driving in these conditions and as you move around the obstacle slow deceleration is prudent.
- If the weather is too treacherous and you have doubts about your ability to operate your truck safely, pull over to a safe place to wait it out. Only get back on the road when you know you are confident you can operate your truck safely and that you have the visibility you need to see clearly.
- Pack well for the weather with warm clothing, blankets, flashlight, shovel, matches, and a bag of sand.
- Stay alert on the road and especially when you are going through intersections and making turns. Don’t drive tired or if you have any alcohol or drugs in your system.
Where Can You Find A Truck Accident Lawyer In Illinois?
The Illinois truck accident injury lawyers at the Alexander J. Smith Law Offices care about residents and visitors who are traveling on our roads during the wintertime. We know how difficult it is to safely drive in these risky conditions and want everyone to be safe. As experienced Roscoe personal injury lawyers, we have seen many clients who suffered a plethora of injuries from accidents in the snow and ice. We want you and your family to avoid accidents and stay out of harm’s way while traveling.
Should you experience any injuries from an accident on the road that was not your fault, call the Alexander J. Smith Law Offices today at (608) 237-7035 for residents of Wisconsin or (815) 243-9686 for residents of Illinois. One of our highly knowledgeable Wisconsin and Illinois personal injury attorneys will discuss your accident experience with you during a free consultation.