As anyone who lives in Buffalo knows, there comes a time over the course of the winter when it just doesn’t seem like it could snow anymore. But it does. Of course, snow on the roads is only one danger that exists for drivers in Buffalo winters. Freezing rain, hail, fog and ice are all possible during the Buffalo winters and can all make the roads an unsafe place to be.

To help you stay safe and minimize the risk of becoming involved in a winter car crash, the Buffalo News has recently published some winter safe driving tips. Our Buffalo auto accident attorneys urge everyone to heed the advice published in the News in order to stay safe as winter weather approaches.

Winter Safe Driving Tips

The Buffalo News has provided details on how best to react during certain winter driving situations as well as some general safe driving tips. According to their article:

• When you experience a loss of traction due to ice, you need to maintain eye contact with a safe spot where you want your vehicle to end up. You then need to remove your foot from both the gas and the brakes and turn the car towards the area where you want your vehicle to travel. Slamming on the brakes is the worst thing you can do in these situations, the News warns.
• If you are driving in ice, you should make use of both your windshield wipers and your car’s defroster. You should be sure to keep a reasonable distance between yourself and other cars in case you can’t stop easily and you should be sure to use your signals to let other drivers know well in advance if you are going to be slowing down, turning or stopping. By using your signals, you give other drivers a chance to put on the brakes well before you do so they do not skid into you. If a skid happens on the ice, you should turn the car’s wheels into the skid. Slamming the brakes is also a bad thing to do in these situations.
• Use tire chains if they are recommended or required. Tire chains help to give you more control and make winter driving safer.
• Never use cruise control if you are driving under icy conditions. Using cruise control takes the control of the vehicle away from you, making it more difficult to maintain an appropriate following distance or to respond quickly in the event that you start to skid out of control.

Following these safe driving tips should hopefully help you to make it through the winter weather season without becoming involved in a dangerous auto accident. The Buffalo News also recommends that you practice winter driving techniques such as driving under icy conditions, responding when you lose traction and coping with a skidding vehicle. If you practice these conditions in an empty parking lot where there are no cars that you can hit, you will be more prepared if you encounter a dangerous situation in traffic that you need to respond to.

If you’ve been injured in Buffalo or the surrounding area, contact the Law Offices of James Morris today for a free consultation to discuss your rights. Call 800-477-9044.