According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are an average of 136,309 injuries and 1,836 deaths because of snowy and icy roads each year. The fatality rate for icy roads alone is 3.6 times higher than all other weather hazards combined.
Environmental conditions are the leading cause of accidents in Eastern Iowa – an area that doesn’t go without its fair share of harsh winter weather. Floridians can live without the following driving tips. An Iowan motorist, on the other hand, may not.
Stay Focused on the Road
This driving safety tip is evergreen: applicable 24/7 every day of the year, regardless of road conditions. Around 3,000 people die each year because of distracted driving. If you want to get home safely – and help others do the same – then putting your phone away while you’re driving is the best place to start.
Accommodate Longer Stopping Distances
You may have learned the two-second rule in driver’s ed: when you’re following another vehicle, leave enough space so you would take at least two seconds to catch up to the leading vehicle if it were to stop moving. That gives you sufficient time to react to a sudden stop or accident. It also prevents you from becoming a tailgater (the least liked type of driver).
When winter conditions make a road slippery, your vehicle will take more time to decelerate. That’s why you want to double your stopping distance to four seconds when the road is wet; triple it to six seconds when the road is snowy; and quadruple it to eight seconds (at least) when the road is icy.
Reduce Your Speed
The slower you drive, the greater an advantage you’ll have when you need to stop suddenly. If you’re driving 35 mph on dry pavement, your vehicle will require 60 to 100 feet to come to a complete stop. Your stopping distance at the same speed can easily double when the roads are snowy. And if you’re driving on icy pavement, your minimum stopping distance can increase to 600 feet.
Snowy and icy roads won’t just lengthen your stopping distance. They can also send your vehicle spinning out of control while you’re driving around a bend. That’s why you should take extra caution on sinuous country roads.
Don’t Use Cruise Control
Using cruise control on snowy or icy roads comes with an increased risk of losing control of your vehicle. If your wheels lose traction, cruise control will instruct them to spin even faster. That can cause your vehicle to quickly surge forward, lose control, and enter a skid.
Maintain Your Tires
Your tires are where the rubber meets the road – literally. Keeping these often neglected parts in good condition is essential to promoting better traction on wintry roads.
The best tire pressure depends on your vehicle and the type of tires it’s outfitted with. But for most passenger vehicles, the recommended tire pressure in cold weather is 32 to 35 psi. That won’t just prevent premature wear and tear; it will also help your tires get better traction.
Tires with worn out treads don’t offer sufficient traction for safe winter driving. To tell if a tire is worn out, simply insert a penny into its tread groove so Honest Abe is upside down and facing outward. If you can see the entirety of his head, then the tire’s tread depth is less than 2/32″ and no longer safe.
Purchase Auto Insurance
All the caution in the world can’t keep you perfectly safe while you’re driving in winter. That’s why auto insurance is so important: it provides peace of mind that you can afford vehicle repairs and hospital bills after Iowa’s icy roadways force you into an accident.
If you live in Iowa and need assistance purchasing the best auto insurance policy for your budget and needs, then we welcome you to contact The Hoffman Agency today! We can’t prevent an accident, but we can help you be prepared in case one happens.