When it’s snowing heavily out, the best thing to do is just stay home if you can. Let the snow pile up and the winds blow! Curl up with a good book on the couch and maybe do some binge watching on Netflix.
But what if you can’t stay home? Maybe your child is sick and needs medicine. Maybe you have to go into work. Whatever the reason, here are a few things you need to keep in mind when hitting the road in the snow.
Drive slower
When the roads are covered in snow you’ll want to accelerate, decelerate, and in general, just go much slower than you would on dry roads. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and leave extra room to slow down when you’re coming to a stop. Just remember it takes much, much longer to slow down on icy roads.
Don’t stop going uphill
Keep your pace steady when going up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads will get your wheels spinning. Also if you can avoid it don’t stop on a hill. Momentum is your friend when the roads are slippery.
Be aware going downhill
When going downhill, reduce your speed and proceed as slowly as possible. Take your foot off the gas and work the brakes. If you feel the car start to slide, slow down even further. Let gravity be your guide.
If you start to slide or spin… don’t panic
Even though every nerve in your body may be on edge, you need to take a deep breath and stay calm. Look and steer the car in the direction you want to go and, slowly try to turn in that direction. Take your foot off the brake and allow the car to regain traction on the road. Then, resume driving, but much more slowly.
We hope these tips will help you drive a little safer in the snow. Don’t forget to also make sure you have the correct coverage on your auto insurance in Massachusetts with MAPFRE. Get a fast, free quote today to see how much you could save!
