TEN SAFETY TIPS TO HELP YOU AVOID DEADLY CAR CRASHES IN SNOWY WEATHER
By Steve Heisler on January 20, 2009
Two people lost their lives and approximately 12 were severely injured as a result of a massive auto and tractor-trailer pileup on Interstate 70 in rural Washington County, Maryland on January 19,2008.
The Maryland auto accident involved 42 vehicles and authorities are in part blaming the incident on the snowy weather conditions.
There is no dispute that driving in snowy and icy conditions is a serious hazard. Here are ten safety tips for driving in snow and ice, courtesy of Mac Demere of Edmunds.com (www.edmunds.com).:
- If driving on snow, use snow tires! To have sufficient snow traction your tires should have at least 6/32-inch deep tread.
- Be sure to keep your windows clean. Replace your windshield wipers and make sure the windshield wiper system works and the anti-icing fluid is topped out.
- Use the air conditioner to remove frost and ice from the windows. The air conditioner can be set to “hot”.
- Make sure your headlights are functioning properly and free of snow.
- Be sure to learn how to properly use anti-lock brakes. Think stomp, stay and steer Stomp on the brake “as if you were trying to snap it off”. “Stay hard on the pedal. Steer around the obstacle”, says Demere.
- Keep an eye out for black ice. Black ice may appear to be a harmless puddle but it can be deadly. Demere says to “…test the traction with a smooth brake application or slight turn of the wheel”.
- Don’t forget that bridges and intersections tend to ice up. Look for water that runs across the road.
- If your front tire loses traction due to an icy patch on the road DO NOT continue to turn the steering wheel. The car will turn whichever way the wheels are pointed and you could end up striking a vehicle coming in the opposite direction.
- Make sure your back tires have as much tread as your front. Select a car with ESC (Electronic Stability Control). ESC will be mandatory on all 2012 vehicles.
- Don’t be tricked that technology will always save you from an accident. All Wheel Drive and Electronic Stability Control are important but do not guarantee your safety. Drive cautiously in snow and ice.
Should you find yourself involved in a Maryland Tractor-Trailer Accident, feel free to contact me by e-mail (sheisler@injurylawyermd.com) or by phone at 877-228-4878.
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Posted in: Auto Accidents, Injuries, Tractor-Trailer Accidents |
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