Safe Wintertime Driving Practices

Any Minnesota native will tell you that driving in the winter here is an acquired skill, not innate. Few states are subject to as much snow, ice, and frigid temperatures as we are! Even though you may be enjoying lovely temperate fall weather right now, it’s always prudent to brush up on what you can do to stay safe on the road before the cold arrives; Minnesota, after all, has been known to be snowed in as early as October!

Below, Mobile Installation, a Brooklyn Park post-market upgrade installer, details some good safety habits for cold and icy weather.

It All Boils Down to Proactivity

Being proactive is planning ahead and taking action before any given event takes place. It’s one of the best ways to keep yourself and other drivers safe while travelling through less-than-ideal conditions.

Of course, knowing you should plan ahead is one thing, but knowing how to execute that is another. Being proactive when it comes to winter driving involves the following:

●        Braking before you think you’ll need to. Snow cover and poor visibility can disguise slippery patches on the road—and we all know of the dangers of black ice, which doesn’t reflect any sunlight and is almost impossible to see. When coming up to a stoplight or stop sign, begin to decelerate proactively—that is, before you’d need to in ideal conditions. You’ll keep better control of your car and also encourage any vehicles behind you to do the same.

●        Driving slowly. Be prepared when it comes to stopping; you never know when you’ll need to slam on your brakes, especially in icy conditions when skidding out and fishtailing are common. Moreover, as stated above, it takes cars longer to stop when they’re on ice. Driving five miles an hour under the speed limit, even in ideal conditions, means that your car can stop quicker, as per the physical law of inertia. If the weather deteriorates, don’t be afraid to get over into the right lane and slow down behind traffic. Drivers in Minnesota tend to be pretty respectful of this!

●        Upgrading your vehicle. New upgrades such as wheels and backup cameras can help you to gain traction on the road and see if you windows are frosted over, respectively. Investing in these upgrades before you actually run into problems (being proactive) is the best way to ensure that these problems never arise in the first place.

Looking for Post-Market Upgrades? Contact Mobile Installation Today

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the old adage goes. From tonneau covers to remote start technology, Mobile Installation can install proactive preventers for all sorts of problems. To find out more about our services, give us a call today at 612-986-3332, or message our contact page.