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Check your vehicle, route and weather before driving this winter

On Behalf of | Dec 10, 2021 | Motor Vehicle Accidents |

With the winter months ahead, Pennsylvania drivers once again need to prepare for less-than-ideal roadway conditions. Unfortunately, winter weather can affect various aspects of driving, and if you do not prepare, you may find yourself in an otherwise avoidable predicament. However, you could take various steps before you get on the road in hopes of safely arriving wherever you go.

It is important to note that winter weather affects more than just roadway conditions. It can also affect your vehicle. As a result, doing a thorough inspection of your vehicle as well as checking weather reports may be the first step in your preparations each day.

What should you check on your vehicle?

It is far too easy for an issue with a vehicle to contribute to a car accident. You undoubtedly do not want any malfunction or overlooked issue to put your and other drivers’ safety at risk. Before you hit the road this winter, you may want to check the following elements of your vehicle:

  • Check your tires when they are cold to ensure that they are properly inflated.
  • Ensure that your tires have enough tread and have no damage in any way.
  • Make sure all of your vehicle’s lights work properly, including brake lights, headlights, turn signals, emergency flashers and inside lights.
  • Check your vehicle’s fluids, particularly coolant, to ensure they are at an appropriate level and are appropriate for winter temperatures.
  • Replace any worn windshield wipers.

When you know that your vehicle is in top working order, you may feel more confident that a vehicle-related issue is less likely to contribute to an accident.

What should you check before you hit the road?

While you may not need to check every aspect of your vehicle every day, you would be wise to check the weather and your route every day before leaving home. If the weather forecast shows chances of difficult weather at certain times of day, try to plan your travel times so that you do not have to be in the worst of the weather.

In some cases, your regular route to work or to run errands may have issues, which could include closures due to an accident or particularly treacherous areas due to weather conditions. If you check your route ahead of time each day, you may have the ability to avoid more troublesome areas and, hopefully, avoid any accidents.