AAA Hoosier Motor Club
January 2009
The AAA Hoosier Motor Club e-Letter

Winter Driving Safety Tips

Before you get behind the wheel this winter, check out these tips from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety:

  • Take it slow. Reducing speed is your best strategy for maintaining control of your car and ensuring that you have plenty of room to stop or react to whatever happens in front of you.
  • Focus only on driving. Distraction is always dangerous, but when you're trying to navigate icy streets and unpredictable situations, it can be especially risky. Keep both hands on the wheel, turn the radio off, stay off the phone (even if it's hands-free), and pay attention to your driving.
  • Clear your windows, roof, trunk, and hood before driving. Windshield wipers aren't designed to clear heavy, wet snow and ice off your windshield, and they don't clear the entire surface. Be sure to clear the snow off the rest of your car, too, so it doesn't fly off and blind other drivers. Sheets of ice that form on the roofs of cars and SUVs can also fly off and cause crashes and injuries. Clear headlights and tail lights, too.
  • Plan ahead. Avoid travel during bad conditions and when plows and spreaders are out treating roads. If you must drive, stick to daylight hours when visibility is better and more resources are available in case you get stuck. Always check on weather and road conditions before you get on the road. Charge up your cell phone in advance, in case you have to call for help.
  • Get your car serviced for winter conditions. Make sure tires are properly inflated so they'll grip on slick roads. Check anti-freeze levels to make sure you have the right levels for your region.
  • Keep a winter emergency kit in your car. Make sure you have flares, safety triangles, and colored cloths to tie on your antenna, and flashlights so you can stay visible if you break down. Pack blankets and extra warm clothes, food, and water in case you get stranded.

Learn more about driving safely, and find out how you can support the AAA Foundation's work on traffic safety through charitable giving at www.aaafoundation.org.


Back to e-Letter home