Why should I look at this if I already have experience in winter driving?
You might believe that having experience would be helpful for winter driving, and to some extent you would be correct. But the difficulty that is included with that is the fact that motorists who have plenty of experience on icy roads frequently get into auto body accidents as a result of their overconfidence. If we were to be completely straightforward with ourselves, we would recognize that there isn't a single individual on the highway who's got the skill level needed to drive at highway speeds on roads whenever ice is present. Nobody has the reflexes and quick brain necessary to recuperate once you start fishtailing at high speeds. So, it is vital that every driver get ready for winter weather not just by practicing winter driving at slow speeds, but also by slowing down in general.
Aren’t good tires all you need to drive safely on winter roads?
Once again, this is one of those half truths that may land you in a Maryville, Illinois auto body shop quicker than you know it. Having good tires with a sufficient quantity of tread will help you out there. Nevertheless, you shouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security by good tires. While good tires can get you up and going in snowy conditions, your snow tires won't do you a lick of good once all that snow is solidified into ice. Again, good tires may do a lot to help you, but they are not the be-all, end-all of winter driving safety.
Won’t I have the ability to prepare for ice as I notice it coming?
This might be a good strategy, but the issue is that you often can't see ice coming. “Black ice” is a term used to describe ice which mixes into the asphalt so well that you can barely see it at all, no matter how close you are to it or how well you're being attentive. Most wintertime driving auto body accidents do not happen when there is a highly apparent layer of snow covering the whole road. The truly hazardous stuff is the ice that you can't see until you've already lost control of your car. Don't wait until it is too late to drive as if you are on dangerous winter roads. Take the necessary precautions with every push of the gas pedal.
So all I need to do is slow down and I am going to avoid a car accident on snow or ice?
That statement is not totally true either. Needless to say, one of the safety measures that we all ought to take on winter roads is to decelerate to a decent speed given the conditions that we are being faced with. However, that is only one precaution of many. Truth be told, anyone who is driving too quickly in snow or ice is at far more risk of crashing than those who are not. Most data really points to the fact that many drivers who get into car accidents were going at a relatively reasonable speed. What generally happens is that a motorist going at what they believe to be a good speed drops their guard, strikes a spot of black ice, and gets into an auto body collision before they even realize how it happened. The moral of this story is that you shouldn't presume that driving fairly slowly means that you will be immune from sliding on the ice.
What should change about my driving habits to get ready for wintertime driving?
Obviously, you'll want to slow down. Clearly, you need to have good tires. These are things that we've already covered. In addition, simply be careful out there. Do not make sudden lane changes or quick turns. Keep a significant amount of space between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Always be attentive and on the lookout for noticeable ice and snow on the road. Exercise a little good judgment and remember that no time saved will be worth the loss of your life or anybody else’s as a result of a winter auto body accident.
Exactly what speed will be safe for driving in winter driving conditions?
The speed that you ought to be traveling will depend on the particular conditions that you find yourself in. Various factors ought to influence your speed like the quantity of ice and snow, if there are any curves, the sharpness of said curves, the slope of any hills, the level of traffic, and your own personal level of comfort. If you are on the open interstate with no hills or other traffic, you might find forty miles per hour to be a reasonable speed. If you add any of the factors above into the mix, you probably should lower your speed even more.
Even with all of these precautions, you can't ever be completely safe on the road when you're dealing with something as dangerous as black ice. Really, the best possible thing you can do is to hold back until the weather clears up if you find any freezing rain in the forecast before heading out. Although, this isn't necessarily practical in every single situation. For anyone residing in Maryville, Collinsville, Troy, Glen Carbon, or Highland, Illinois, you'll need to drive in icy weather conditions at some point. The best thing that you could do is just be prepared. One way to be ready is to select an auto body shop beforehand so that you do not have to make a hasty decision if and when you get into a wreck. Consider Kurt's CARSTAR Collision Center in Maryville, Illinois. They've got a great deal of experience repairing cars that have been damaged by the harsh roads of winter.
