Winter Driving in Michigan
The snow is falling and the roads are slippery! Christmas is here and so are the icy roads. Most of us in Michigan are experienced with “winter driving” however we can get to confident with our skills and it only takes one mistake to cause an accident. We just experienced one of our first huge snow storms and the first few are always a bit of a wake up call. Here’s a small list of reminders for driving in the winter and tips for those who maybe don’t have as much as experience driving in Michigan snow, ice, and now rain!
1. Turn your lights on. Other vehicles need to be able to see you just as much as you need to see them. This will help prevent people from pulling out in front of you.
2. Keep an emergency kit on hand. This includes: blankets, gloves, jumper cables, emergency cones, snow boots, and kitty litter. All of these things could easily become a necessity.
3. Four wheel drive doesn’t mean you can stop on ice. No amount of grip can make you stop on something completely smooth and wet. You’ll want to always use precaution and plan to stop as if you have no traction at all.
4. Adjust speed to road conditions. It’s always better to be a couple minutes late getting to where you’re going, rather than potentially not getting there at all.
5. Always assume that it’s icy. Black ice could be anywhere and there’s no way of knowing which areas are safe and which aren’t. If we error on the side of caution and pretend that all areas are dangerous to avoid accidents or going in the ditch.
6. Make room for other’s mistakes. You may be following at a safe distance but make extra room in case the car in front of you has an emergency or an accident as well.
7. Make sure your vehicle is safe to drive before heading out. You’ll want all of the ice and snow scraped and brushed off of your car so that you have a full view of your surroundings and others can have a full view of you. If you don’t have your lights on, head lights AND tail lights, then other drivers won’t be able to see you braking, turning, or coming towards them in general.
8. Make sure you have plenty of gas – you don’t want to get stuck on the side of the road in this weather! Not only is it below freezing, but it’s also dangerous. Someone else may lose control of their vehicle and cause a disaster, hitting you and/or your vehicle.
Alliance is proud and grateful to be able to serve you this winter during the cold, nasty weather in Michigan. The snow sure can be beautiful while it’s falling but it can turn our commutes into a treacherous journey. Make sure you’re both prepared and covered in case of an accident. If you need car insurance or are looking to increase coverage in case of an emergency, just give us a call and we can help you out. Adding roadside assistance to your policy can solve quite a few of these problems, too. Towing, gas delivery, and lockout services can help the stress of driving in bad weather.
