6 Tips For Driving Safe This Winter

#1 ​Keep Some Distance

Many of the accidents we are called to in the winter are caused by rear collisions. The main contributor to these incidents is improper spacing between vehicles. We at Jenwar towing recommend increasing the distance between vehicles to between 8 to 10 seconds.

#2 Check Your Tread

This is an often overlooked part of preparing your vehicle for winter, but it can make the difference between safety and disaster. Use a tread depth gauge, or if you don't happen to have one of those laying around, try the “penny test.” Insert a penny into the tire tread grooves with Lincoln's head facing down. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, your tires are at 2/32nds of an inch or less of remaining tread. You need new tires immediately! 

#3 Slow It Down

Unfortunately there is no secret formula to properly decreasing your speed In order to stay safe. The only way to stay safe is to make a full assessment of the road conditions each and every time you drive. Taking the time to test your vehicle on a isolated stretch of road, and observing how other people's vehicles are behaving, are the keys to picking a safe speed.

#4 ​Merge Smarter

This is one of those instances where drivers have to both be patient and not hesitate. Now that might sound confusing, but not being able to balance these two requirements for merging with traffic lead to many a winter time accident. If you doubt that you can safely merge into the upcoming gap in traffic then you should wait till a larger space presents itself. At the same time, when you do find an opening that you're confident you can successfully merge into, do so confidently and without hesitation.

#5 Lights And Wipers

We know that winter driving is made even more difficult by the limited visibility, that accompanies wet, and snowy conditions. But so often we find that drivers forget the most basic of pre trip maintenance.  Double checking your wiper integrity, wiper fluid and lights is an essential part of safe winter driving.

#6 Leave Earlier

Living in the 21st century is becoming more and more demanding on your time! Everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere, and usually we are running late. This perpetual tardiness and cramped schedule cause many people to not follow one of the easiest winter driving safety tips, LEAVE AS EARLY AS YOU CAN! Taking the time to schedule in a few extra minutes between appointments or just plain leaving the house earlier on your way to work, can give you the leeway you need to properly apply the previous safety tips on this list.