Many a car accident is caused when drivers fail to adjust their driving habits to fit the weather. One of the most significant dangers during the winter is the various types of precipitations that affect driving and the fact that the temperatures can rapidly drop sometimes. Anyone who’s lived in Dallas for a while knows about the hazards of freezing rain and the occasional snow storm, but remember that you can’t always see the threats that winter driving presents.
In some cases, a rain early in the day will become a sheet of ice after dark. The most dangerous aspect of this for drivers is that it’s sometimes impossible to differentiate ice and liquid water on the road when you’re relying on your headlights. Remember to pay attention to the temperature. If the temperature is hitting the freezing mark, always assume that any wet-looking road surface you approach is icy. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
When the snow starts falling, especially at night, your visibility is severely impaired. Normally, drivers try to maintain a distance between them and other vehicles that will allow them to reach a full stop in an emergency. When snow is falling, you have to account for how much time you have to stop before the endpoint of your visibility and adjust your speed accordingly. For example, if you’re travelling at 60 miles per hour and you can only see 100 feet in front of the car, you’re not going to be able to stop for a fixed object, such as a stopped car, in the time you’ll have between seeing and striking the object. Remember that it is possible to outdrive your vision in terms of speed and slow down if you have to.
If you feel yourself start to slide, the most important thing is to keep the front of your car from being passed by the back of your car. This requires substantial driving skills when you hit an unexpected slippery spot at speed. Consider taking a defensive driving course to hone these survival skills.
If you are in a wreck and you need legal assistance, a vehicle accident lawyer may be able to help you file a claim. They have experience in these cases and will recognize when another driver wasn’t driving safely for the conditions and when they caused you to suffer because of it.
