How do you handle your car in bad weather?

New drivers may not know what to do when driving on winter roads. The first rule – always – is don’t panic.

If it’s ice, and it’s most likely it’s either ice or snow, seasoned drivers are going to know if it’s ice or slippery snow. Here are some tips to help the newbies – either new to the midwest or new to driving overall.

We’ve put together 10 good ideas to remember this winter driving season, either when driving on ice or in any situation.

1. Remove your foot from the accelerator – keeping your accelerator going could cause your wheels to spin.
2. Move your foot to the brake – but don’t slam the brakes, that’s not needed. You should be able to ‘pump’ your brakes and this will trigger your ABS to safely lock your brakes.
3. Steer away from the skid – if your vehicle is skidding in one direction, steer in the opposite direction to correct your vehicle’s orientation. We know, steering left to go right doesn’t make sense, but you are on the ice – so all normal thinking goes out the window.
4. Don’t oversteer – if you’ve turned your wheel all the way left rather quickly, you’ve gone too far. This could cause a spin-out – and doing this is very violent to your vehicle and to your passengers. Remain calm, and calmly turn your steering wheel.
5. Reducing your speed is always a good idea in any poor weather conditions.
6. Always wear your seatbelt, although we hope you choose to wear your seatbelt every time you get into your vehicle. Wearing a seatbelt can mean the difference between walking away on your own two feet or having a very hefty hospital bill and learning to walk again.
7. Watch for Icy Bridges – because of the cold air beneath them, bridges tend to ice up in poor weather quicker than regular roadways. Sometimes there are even signs that warn you of this, but not always.
8. Just because you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, doesn’t mean you should. We’ve seen it again and again with a vehicle that the driver thought they could ‘get’ through because they had a 4-wheel drive truck and they end up in the ditch in bad weather.
9. Pay attention to the weather. If it’s raining, slow down, if it’s snowing don’t drive fast, if it’s a blizzard – just don’t go anywhere. Nothing is worth driving in bad weather and getting into an accident – especially your life.
10. This may be an obvious one, but don’t stop for accidents or stranded vehicles along an icy roadway. This is just dangerous – yes, it’s our job, but we have safety lights, and we are well-trained to help.

Call us, once you are in a safe location if you need help. Don’t forget to be aware of your surroundings and road conditions. SpeedyG Towing: 224-633-1185.