Cold weather is nothing new to most Missourians. Still, with winter’s ice and snow come the increased possibility motorists will get into an accident, thanks to potentially reckless driving.
As you are venturing out on the road this season, take a few precautions to help avoid the possibility of an accident.
Pack a safety kit for the road
There are a few items you should keep in your vehicle throughout the season:
- A flashlight with replacement batteries
- An ice scraper
- A first-aid kit
- A shovel
- Blankets and cold weather clothing
- Booster cables
- Sand or kitty litter
- A fully charged cell phone
You can pack many of these items together and put them in a bag. That way, you can transfer from vehicle to vehicle if you don’t use the same one every day.
Get your vehicle winter ready
If you haven’t yet, consider winterizing your vehicle with fresh antifreeze, a strong battery, a properly operating exhaust system and fresh oil. Pay attention to your tires, brakes, windshield wipers and wiper fluid each time before you leave a location. Be sure all your windows and mirrors are fully defrosted or scraped before you take off.
Select a safe vehicle
If you are shopping for a new car this winter, consider purchasing one with a high safety rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) names its Top Safety Pick awards every year and recently named 15 vehicles with its 2018 Top Safety Pick+ award.
This year’s awards added ratings for good-rated headlights and good or acceptable passenger-side protection in small overlap front crashes. IIHS began rating vehicles for protection in small overlap crashes, which involve just the front corner or driver-side of the vehicle, in 2012.
There is only so much you can do to avoid a car accident this winter, but by taking some simple precautionary measures you can reduce the risk and ensure you are not endangering others on the road.