During wintertime in Arizona, driving gets a little more challenging because of the pile of snow on the road. While temperature is often tolerable and stable, it’s these tiny mountains of white and the extra slippery road that make driving during winter a bit more complicated than usual. So let’s make it more bearable by reading through this article! Fasten your seatbelts because here are some winter driving tips in Arizona that you should give a GO!
Preparation for the road ahead
Check your vehicle
It’s a must to get it ready for the cold-stricken road ahead. Check if the air, tire pressure, fluid levels are in the correct numbers. You should also pay attention to your lights and see if your headlights and signal lights function correctly. You don’t want a faint light to guide you at night and affect your and other drivers’ visibility. You should also check if the wiper blades are in the proper function and position. Finally, do a checklist of the things you should look into to prevent any problems during the drive in the wintertime.
It’s challenging to start the engine during winter
It’s more challenging to start the engine when it’s cold, attributed to your oil and batteries. Oil gets thicker during the winter, which makes it more difficult for the engine to pump. At the same time, the evaporation rate also becomes slower, so burning the oil will take more effort from the engine. And, just as mentioned, batteries add to these factors too; chemical reactions in the batteries slow down as temperature gets colder, making it harder to create the energy to start your car.
Gather news
Learn more about the road ahead as much as you can. Turn that television on, get your radio playing, browse online, check the news updates about the road and the road traffic. Knowing about what lies on the road ahead is essential, especially on different days than usual. Knowing a lot of information about the drive will save you the time and headache you’ll get from unexpected road problems.
Wear layers of light clothing
The thicker and lighter your clothes are, the better. Ensure you wear light-threaded clothes for driving to ensure that you have enough insulation and freedom for movement. If you don’t have many light winter clothes, you can combine thickness and test them for comfort.
Carry an emergency kit
List these items: flashlight, water, first aid kit, clothes, essential medications (maintenance medicine if needed), jumper cables, tire chains, and 1-2 canned goods. Your emergency kit will keep you alive in case something unfortunate happens. Choose the items in your kit according to your needs. Make sure you have an emergency kit with you no matter what season or climate; it will minimize the uncertainty in times of emergency.
Safety tips to remember during the drive
Slow down
Slippery roads, snowfall, snow piles, and the presence of other cars are just some of the unusual road factors that you will encounter during the winter. These factors will cause obstacles for visibility and the overall smoothness of the drive. The best tip to ensure you’re safe? Drive slow. Driving slowly will prevent hard impact and will allow your vision to focus on the elements outside your car. Make sure that you go slower than the speed limit to avoid accidents on the road.
Always leave a good space in front
Wherever you go, may it be out of state or within Arizona, make sure that you practice leaving a good amount of space between you and the car in front. Slippery roads can be your brutal enemy. It will make your brakes less reliable and an immediate stop will highly likely cause you to crash on what’s in front of you, whether it’s a car or a road barrier. For this reason, you have to keep a good amount of space between you and the vehicle in front, especially when you’re driving on roads with more traffic.
Give way for snowplows
Yes, you have to give way to that big vehicle shoving ice on the ground and clearing the roads. Instead, leave space enough for three to five cars that should allow it to do its job. Next time you encounter a snowplow along the road, make sure there’s no tailgating, no trying to drive past, or just wait ‘til it goes a different way.
Drive as smooth as possible
Again, you don’t want to be enemies with a slippery road. So make sure you drive as smoothly as possible, stay in your lane and avoid jerking the steering wheel. In times where the road can be difficult, safety is always better than speed.
Don’t panic when your wheels start to skid
Skidding often happens during winter, so don’t panic when your wheels start to skid. Stay focused on where you want to position your car instead of the direction it’s going. Get a hold of that steering wheel and start turning and controlling until you set your vehicle to your desired spot. NO quick breaks as this will just cause you to lose control of your car. If you see the front wheel skidding, slowly let go of the gas, and you’ll see your car getting back in its original direction. On the other hand, if it’s your rear wheels, get the car’s movement to the same direction as the rear wheels and slowly let go of the and the car should get back in its path in a while. Now that you’re aware of what to do to skidding, make sure you give it practice when the skies are clear.
Other things to remember
Don’t drive off-road
During wintertime, snow covers most of the ground. Because of this, we recommend not driving off the road. Off-road soil tends to be softer in the winter as ice covers its surface. You’re clueless whether it’s soil or mud you’re driving on. Drive on the wrong spot off-road, and you might end up getting your wheels stuck in the earth, which will leave you outside in the cold ‘til help comes. So for everyone’s safety and convenience, just don’t go driving outside the asphalt.
Watch out for deers and other animals
Pay attention to the posted signs and the presence of animals along the road; if there’s one, there’s probably more. Animals tend to find shelter during the cold so that they might be outside more frequently during the winter. Keep an eye for a deer, skunk, or elk that might run in front of your vehicle.
Take extra precautions when you have passengers
Now that you’ve read about driving in the winter in Arizona make sure to level them up when you have passengers. Take note that you should not only ensure your safety but everyone else in the car. So always elevate your safety measures, especially when you’re driving with someone else.
In case of accidents, get the best and personalized treatment
While taking maximum safety precautions in driving during wintertime in Arizona is the best prevention, accidents still happen. Now that you have enough knowledge on safety, knowing about the cure should not be taboo.
In case of an accident, it is best to get a personalized and guided treatment from health experts. Good thing that Stridewell Auto Injury Clinic – Scottsdale specializes in motor vehicle accident treatment to provide expert medical healthcare and proven health programs for our patients. Dealing with accidents can have a significant impact on people’s lives, and for this reason, Stridewell dedicated its services to help people regain their life.
To know more about our health programs, contact Stridewell Clinic now!
Read More: 10 Best Accident-Free Adventures in Phoenix AZ During Winter
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