You are heading toward an intersection when suddenly your car takes much longer to stop and you start to slide on a sheet of ice. Your car lists to the side and start losing control. Without proper practice and training about how to regain control, there won’t be time to think about what your next move. You need to be able to react without thinking
Winter is upon us, prepare yourself! Want to get seasonal maintenance to prepare your car for winter? Schedule an appointment online today at an AAMCO Utah location near you. We will make sure your car is in tip top shape to drive this winter. Prepare your mind and your muscle memory for driving this winter and avoid a situation like this. Having a plan and knowing your car can help keep you moving safely on the road even when the storms have everyone else stationary. Below are some tips to keep you safe this winter.
Related: Cold Weather Car Tips
Related: Total Car Care
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On snowy and icy roads, the key to maintaining control is to drive slowly and smoothly. Everything takes longer and is less predictable in snowy and icy conditions, so don’t underestimate how long it takes to brake. it can take 10 times usual distance to stop, if at all. Slow down to avoid sliding into a collision. Remember, if conditions are poor, you can be ticketed for driving to fast. Do your best to accelerate slowly to maintain more traction and giving yourself room to stop. Bridges and overpasses freeze and become icy more quickly than roadways do.
If you can at all help it, you will have a easier time handling your vehicle on ice and snow if you avoid coming to a full stop. Keep a steady pace on turns, when approaching intersections and as yo go up and down hills so that you can maintain inertia to keep moving. Take it slow, but keep moving to reduce amount of energy needed to start moving from a full stop.
If you get stuck in the snow, ease down onto the accelerator rather than spinning your wheels. Spinning your tires to get out will melt the snow and make it more slippery. If you are having difficulty, try putting cardboard, cat litter or sand, or use your car’s floor mat in front of your wheels.
It’s definitely not a Buckingham Palace guard letting you know that you just scored a field goal. It means that your tire pressure may be too high or too low in one or more of your tires. Checking your tire pressure is incredibly important if you want to maintain long lasting and working tires, improve fuel efficiency and mileage. Properly inflated tires also improve thread wear and will save you money in the long run. Need help checking your tire pressure or maintaining proper inflation levels? Stop by an AAMCO Utah location near you for advice and assistance!
Understand your car’s stability control features and anti-lock braking system. With ABS, you don’t need to pump the brakes. ABS does this for you faster than humanly possible. This stability control helps your car keep traveling in the direction you have intended. Car’s keep getting safer, make sure you keep up to date with your car’s safety features.
Make sure your tire thread is thick enough, or else you are dangerously losing traction. Less than 2/32 inch or if you can see the top of Lincoln’s head when you insert a penny upside down, buy new tires. Know your tires: summer, all-season and winter. Winter tires or tire chains are highly recommended for the best traction in snowy or icy road conditions.
Accidents and emergencies happen, no matter how much you prepare. However, you can make sure you are prepared to deal accordingly when these problesm arrive. Create or purchase a safety and emergency kit for your vehicle — flashlight, flares, food, water blanket. A Snow shovel, snow brush and scraper will help you clear your vehicle from the snowfall or if you get stuck in a ditch. Sand, cardboard, cat litter can be useful to help increase the traction of your wheels if you are stuck in ice or snow. Make sure you also have adequate car insurance. That smallest dent or collision can cost you thousands. Get coverage for collision or full coverage because accidents happen, especially in poor road conditions.
First time in the snow or feeling rusty after warm dry year? Consider a driving school for emergency braking and skid-control exercises. If it has snowed recently or the roads are icy, find an empty parking lot with lots of space in all directions. Practice braking, turning adnd spinning out on a slippery surface to learn how your vehicle reacts to different situations and the proper response from you.
If you follow these tips, under real-world situations, you’ll be better prepared to react automatically in a fraction of a second. Make yourself safer this winter season and prepare early. Ever small collisions can be expensive. Come to your local AAMCO Utah for a complete check up. We’ll help you keep your car running reliably so you won’t have to worry about whether your car will start in the next cold snap, or if you’ll weather the next blizzard. If you have questions about your car’s road readiness, or about car repair and maintenance topics, AAMCO Utah can help.
Need maintenance to prepare for this winter? Make an appointment today at local AAMCO Utah for factory recommended maintenance and to prepare your car for the snowy and icy road conditions.
Schedule an appointment at your local AAMCO Utah location and our seasonal car care experts will make sure you’re road ready this winter!
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