Winter Driving Car Accidents in Colorado

The winter season in Colorado can bring dangerous weather, including snow and ice. Each year thousands of people are injured on Colorado roads when bad weather arrives. According to IcyRoadSafety.com, Colorado ranks as one of the worst states for fatal winter driving car accidents. In order to stay safe this winter season, it is important to drive safely in all winter weather. Driving in snow and ice is different from driving in rain and drivers need to be aware of these differences in order to arrive safely at their destinations.

AAA recommends the following winter driving tips:

• Get adequate rest – driving fatigued is never a good idea, but in poor weather, you must be extra cautious and alert.
• Properly inflate tires – poor tires are one of the leading causes of accidents in the winter.
• Have your car winterized – make sure you have adequate snow tires, fully functioning brakes, and that your heater is working properly.
• Do not use cruise control – when driving in snow and ice, never use your cruise control. You must remain in control of driving, braking, and accelerating in order to avoid serious accidents.
• Steer where you want to go – if you are trying to avoid an ice patch, look where you want to drive, not at the ice patch.
• Always buckle up – this rule applies in all weather conditions.
• Stay with your car – If you become snow bound, stay with your vehicle until help arrives. Your car will provide you with shelter from the harsh elements.
• Pack an emergency kit in your car – make sure you have warm blankets, a snow shovel, backup phone, gloves, hat, and water in order to ride out any disastrous weather.
• Be Bright – tie a brightly colored cloth the antenna and keep the dome light on at night so that rescuers can see you easier.
• Accelerate slowly – in the snow, make sure you accelerate and decelerate slowly to avoid slipping and sliding.
• Drive slowly – in icy and snowy weather, drive significantly slower than you would normally drive. This can give you adequate time to stop in case another car loses control.
• Don’t tailgate – in poor winter weather, consider following at least 8 seconds behind the car in front of you.
• Stay home – if you don’t have to drive in poor weather – don’t. Most errands can wait and it could make a difference between getting into an accident and avoiding one.