When buds pop out on trees, flowers push through the mud and snow and you start to sneeze from the newly arrived pollen, you know that spring has arrived.
But with spring comes a new set of road conditions to be careful of and new safety measures to keep on alert with. Keep reading to learn how to stay safe on the road as the snow melts and the weather starts to warm up.
Adapt to Changing Weather Conditions
They don’t say “April showers, May Flowers” for nothing. And if you want to be more accurate, you should add “March mud” to the beginning of the list. Melting snow combining with hotter weather means the ground softens, and the chance of mud, rain, slush and debris on the road increases.
On top of that, the variety of weather conditions in spring will keep you on your toes. Be on the lookout for snowfall, thunderstorms, rain showers and anything else you can imagine. Unusual weather can make for sudden road condition changes, so be mindful of your speed, drive to the road conditions, and take your time.
>> How Do I Drive Safe In Snowy Weather?
Make Sure Your Car Is Ready for the Spring
Before the winter began, you checked your car to make sure you wouldn’t break down in the snow. You considered new tires or even snow tires, put an emergency kit in the trunk and had your car checked out. With the weather changing again, another checkup is in order.
Keeping up with regular vehicle maintenance is always the best way to make sure your car is ready for any conditions. But also, be prepared as drivers may be bolder on the street with warmer conditions and pedestrians may be walking more frequently.
>> 5 Motor Vehicle Safety Hazards You Might Not Know About
Spring Driving Hazards To Look Out For
In the spring, the roads are just different than what you’ve been dealing with for the last few months. Look into the new season’s problems so you are prepared and putting yourself in the safest situation you can before getting behind the wheel.
1. What is the Safest Way to Avoid Potholes?
Avoiding potholes isn’t as simple as driving around them. Sometimes avoiding them could mean driving into the other lane, and sometimes driving in them could mean potentially damaging your vehicle. So how do you handle it?
First of all, when you check your car this spring, make sure you look over your tires and suspension, potholes are a lot less trouble with a car prepared for them. Secondly, slow down when you see a pothole coming. Lastly, check the safety of the situation before swerving around a pothole, if a car is in the other lane, it isn’t safe. Also, note that potholes can fill with water and look like puddles, so be careful driving through puddles as well.
2. How Do I Avoid Hydroplaning?
Wet pavement leads to 1.2 million car crashes per year. Hydroplaning, which is when the car’s tires lose traction with the road and glide on the water instead, is a major contributor to the accident total. Avoiding hydroplaning involves making sure you keep traction with the road. Here are a couple quick tips to make sure you do that:
A. Don’t put on cruise control when its wet or raining—make sure you are in charge of the car’s movement in these moments.
B. Slow down and leave room so you don’t slide into another vehicle.
C. Finally, handle a skid properly: drive in the direction the car wants to go, let off the gas and absolutely don’t slam on the breaks or make sudden turns, this will only further add to the car’s loss of traction.
3. Share the Road With Pedestrians and Cyclists
Warmer weather means more people are out and about. More people out and about means more pedestrians and cyclists. So when you’re driving this spring, remember to be vigilant about checking crosswalks, paying attention to sidewalks and road edges, giving bicyclers room and generally paying attention to the people you share the road with.
4. Avoid Animals on the Road
In the winter, animals hide away and hibernate to avoid the weather. But come spring, wildlife like deer return to the woods and potentially, the roads. Every year about 1.5 million car accidents happen with deer alone, so keeping a watchful eye is important.
The hours surrounding dawn and dusk are the most active, and animals are attracted to food, so don’t throw any out the window! Also be careful of areas where a stream or waterway runs under the road, animals may look to cross nearby.
What Other Spring Conditions Affect Your Driving?
So now your car is in good working order, you know how to safely drive in weather and water, you’re patient with pedestrians, bikers and animals. But spring brings some other, unforeseen issues as well.
Trees, grass and weeds are all growing again. But that means pollen. If you are affected by any springtime allergies, including pollen, you know that your eyes might be watering, you might sneeze and cough, and in general, you might not feel well. But that doesn’t affect your need to drive. So what do you need to do to stay safe from allergies behind the wheel?
Taking over-the-counter medications can help reduce symptoms, but make sure you read them and they won’t make you drowsy behind the wheel. Spring clean your car and change the air filters—making your car a better environment can only help you deal with the frustrations of allergy season. Finally, insulate your car by keeping your windows up—use the air conditioner instead of opening windows, and put on circulating air mode, you want less air from outside the car.
How Do I Drive in the Fog?
Precipitation and changing weather can lead to fog. Taking your time and not panicking go a long way to keeping you safe. Put on your headlights so other drivers can see you, but not high beams, which will cause a glare. If driving in thick fog, watch the lines on the center and side of the road to make sure you’re staying in your lane.
If the fog is impassible, turn on your hazard lights and pull off the road into a safe location. Wait for the conditions to improve before continuing. If there isn’t a safe place to go, pull off the side of the road and park. Keep your hazard lights on but turn off your headlights. Take your foot off the brake and put on your emergency brake so no one will accidentally run into you by following your brake lights.
How Do I Drive With the Glare From the Sun?
With the change in daylight hours, the sun’s position is at different spots during morning and evening commutes. This can mean a nasty glare, and aside from slowing down and leaving room between cars, what can you do?
Try adjusting your commute time to see if there is a safer one that still works with your schedule. If that doesn’t do the trick, get some polarized sunglasses to wear while driving. The other way to make the view more tolerable is to clean your windshield. A glare on a dirty windshield is even worse.
>> 5 Steps To Take After Hitting Your Head
If Spring Driving Leads to an Accident, Keches Law is Here
No matter how much preparation you do, accidents still happen. It’s good to know you have a place to turn if you need an attorney after a springtime car crash.
Contact the skilled personal injury attorneys at Keches Law if you need a lawyer, we are ready to hear your story and provide the support and legal guidance you need.
