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Practical Safety Tips for Snowy-Weather Driving

Written by: Jeena R. Belil

Reputation Level 13

Posted about 3 years ago. Applies to New York, 0 helpful votes, 0 comments

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During a snow storm, frequently remove snow from your car

It's much easier to go out a few times during a storm and wipe accumulating snow away then to wait until all of the snow has fallen. You will save back breaking, miserable work for yourself.

Get ALL of the snow off your car

Don't just take off the snow from your windshield and back window. Remove the snow from your hood. While you are driving, loose snow can get caught in the wind and blow back against your windshield. If it's a large amount of snow, your vision can be blocked, Not a good thing when you are trying to see where you are going. Remove the snow from the roof of your car. In many states, there is no law requiring you to clean snow off of your car roof, but not doing so can be a dangerous practice. As you drive, snow will come off and you never know where it is going to land Between the warming heat from the interior of the car and the warms up it melts the snow on the roof and it either blows or slides off, which could cause problems for the drivers following you. Snow slamming into another vehicle could cause property damage or worse, an accident causing serious bodily injury.

Clean away snow and ice from your windshield fluid spouts

Driving on a wet, snowy roadway is dirty, gritty business. Your windshield will be prone to anything the driver in front of you kicks up in its path, impeding your vision. You want to make sure that your wiper spout can adequately spray windshield wash.

Bring water and a snack with you

I'll never forget driving home from court in a blizzard one afternoon. It took me eight hours to drive about 45 miles. I was very happy to have picked up a bottle of water and a bag of peanuts before I left the Queens County Courthouse area.