Driving in adverse conditions such as fog, snow, rain or even at night calls for certain precautions. For starters, always keep your headlights clean. Not very appetizing, is it? But it can be dangerous if you let it build up. Overtime this road glum will dull the illuminating powers of your headlights. When driving at night, the distance that you can see ahead of you is much shorter than in the day time. All cars have high beams and low beams, once your headlights are on you can toggle between the two. Properly functioning high beams illuminate the roadway 300 to 350 feet ahead, when traveling crossly behind the other vehicles or when vehicles traveling in the opposite direction appear in your vision; you should use your low beams. Low beams only illuminate the roadway 100 to 150 feet ahead.
When driving at night it is important that you don't out drive your headlights. In other words you must drive at speeds that allow you to stop within the lighted area. If you drive too fast for your headlights; then you risk not being able to stop in time for obstacles that appear ahead. Another major problem drivers encounter at night is glare. Headlights from following vehicles may cause glare in your rearview mirrors. Using the blind spot and glare illumination settings for your mirrors will help decrease annoying and dangerous glare. Dirt particles on your wind shield are also a source of blinding glare. Make sure you frequently clean the inside and outside of your windshield to avoid this problem.
Here is some additional tips to follow in order to make night driving safer. Because vision isn't nearly as good at night as it is during the day, you should reduce your speed. Increase your following distance by at least a second or two, when driving at night. Look slightly to the right of oncoming vehicles to avoid being blinded by their lights. Use high beams and low beams appropriately. If someone traveling toward you forgets to dim their lights, don't high beam them. You're only making the situation worst by having two blind drivers coming at each-other.
When preparing for winter driving; you should stock your car with the following items, windshield scraper and brush to remove snow and ice, never attempt to drive with the covered windshields, jumper cables to jump your battery if its dies, a tool-kit in case you have something that you can easily fix yourself, gloves and blankets are essential in case you break down and need extra layers of warmth, a small shovel to use if you get stuck somewhere and a bag of sand or cat litter for tire traction. Keep these small expensive items in your car during the winter months to prevent large expensive problems.
Also, make sure you have the right antifreeze to water concentration to prevent your radiator from freezing. Check your owner's manual for this information. You should also have all season or snow tires on your vehicle. Inadequate tread reduces traction on slippery surfaces. Install affective windshield wiper blades and use windshield washer fluid that won't freeze. You don't want road salt, sand and dirt building up on your windshield. Avoid driving in snow and ice whenever possible, but if you must break the elements, here are some tips on how to get around more safely.
Significantly reduce your speed on slippery surfaces. Traveling at posted speed limits in bad whether is not smart because you aren't able to steer and break as you normally would. Speaking of breaking, you should break gently. Slamming on your breaks is likely to cause you to spin out of control and become involved in an accident. If you do start sliding, break gently and steer in the direction you want to go. You should also greatly increase your following distance. Give yourself a large gap between your car and the cars ahead of you. You never know when someone ahead might loose control of their vehicle. It's important that you have time to stop before hitting them. Much of the same safety tips apply to driving on wet roads at any time of the year.
When driving in the rain; you should reduce your speed. Driving too fast on wet roads could cause you to hydroplane. Hydroplaning occurs when water builds between your tires and the surface of the road, causing you to loose traction. If you feel your car start to hydroplane, ease off the gas to regain control. Do not turn the steering wheel or apply the breaks. Either of these actions could cause your car to skid uncontrollably. You need to increase your following distance. Also turn on your headlights so that your vehicle is more visible. In some states the law requires that you turn on your headlights when driving in the rain.
Avoid slamming your breaks; you risk skidding out of control. If you encounter a flooded roadway; stop and head for higher ground. It only takes 6 inches of water to cause you to loose control of your vehicle and 2 feet of water will carry most cars away. In heavy fog you should pull over and wait for the fog to lift before proceeding. If you find that you are driving through light patchy fog, you should slow down and use your low beams or fog lights. Low beams are more effective than high beams in fog because they reduce glare.
As you can see the main thing is to slow down and use caution when driving in hazardous conditions. Always be prepared for the unexpected. That reminds me a one more thing that you aren't often warned about, driving in hot temperatures.
Use a 50-50 mixture of engine coolant and water in your radiator during the summer months and keep some in your car. High temperatures can be just as damaging to your engine as extremely cold temperatures. To be safe, frequently check your oil level. Make sure your air-conditioning system functions properly and keep an eye on your temperature gauge while driving. If you notice that your car is overheating, pull off the road and add a 50-50 mix of water and coolant to the reservoir once your car has cool down. Do not attempt to remove the radiator cap. The coolant is highly pressurized and extremely hot. Removing the cap may cause scolding liquid to spray and severely burn you.
If you're smart and cautious about your driving abilities in adverse conditions then you're certainly less likely to be involved in an accident. Just remember to play it safe and slow down.
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