If you want to get through the winter without needing a car accident attorney, you want to know how to drive safely when the weather gets frightful. There are a number of tips to keep in mind that help to ensure that you reduce your risk of an accident to keep yourself and your fellow drivers safe out there on the road.

Each year, 22 percent of the motor vehicle accidents that occur, approximately 22 percent are weather-related, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. Weather-related accidents account of an average of 1,259,000 accidents per year. Because of this, it is critical to ensure that you are doing everything possible to prevent causing or becoming a victim in an accident.

Getting Prepared

It is important to check your vehicle well to ensure that it is properly prepared for driving in winter weather conditions. Make sure to fully remove all ice and snow from the vehicle, including on the roof and trunk of your car. Make sure all ice is removed from the windows, mirrors and lights. This ensures that you have maximum visibility when you are driving.

Distance Between Vehicles

Since you do not want to stop fast on wet and slippery roads, it is important that you keep a safe distance between yourself and other vehicles. Use the visibility as your guide to know how much distance to keep. For example, in low visibility, you want more space. You also want to drive slower in low visibility since you are unable to see into the distance. When it comes to plows and maintenance vehicles, make sure that there is 200 feet between the front of your car and the vehicle.

Using Your Brakes

During bad weather, it is important to know your vehicle’s brake system and use it properly. If your vehicle does not have anti-lock brakes, you should pump your brake pedal to ensure that you maintain traction on the road. If your vehicle does have anti-lock brakes, apply firm pressure to stop the vehicle.

Bridges and Intersections

When you are driving along and the road seems fine, when you come to an intersection or bridge, you want to take it slow and cautious.

Of course, you cannot control other drivers. If you find yourself in an accident, consult a car accident attorney to ensure that you know your rights. A car accident attorney will help you with things like navigating insurance companies and what you can do to save when you were not the driver at fault.

In 2013, there were 30,057 fatal car accidents throughout the country, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. These accidents were responsible for 32,719 deaths. A major series of accidents occurred on January 17, 2016 that involved a minimum of 65 vehicles. This series of accidents caused three life-threatening injuries and one death. This type of accident results in insurance claims and talking to a car accident attorney will ensure that you can navigate the process.

The first crash affected the Eastbound lanes on Sunday around 2:00 p.m. In this crash, there was a semi and eight
cards involved. With this accident, no one is reported to have sustained serious injuries. Low visibility and this crash caused a backup in traffic. Approximately a quarter mile behind this crash there was an accident where two semis hit each other. Six more semis and a total of 44 vehicles crashed as a result of this. Due to this accident, life-threatening injuries and a death occurred. Initially, reports stated that there were two deaths, but one was able to be revived by the paramedics. This person is, however, in critical conditions.

It took about six hours to clear the accidents which resulted in shutting down the highway in both directions for the duration. This was necessary to prevent further accidents and other issues as victims were cleared, vehicles moved and safety personnel taking care of getting the freeway prepared for future travel.

Ensuring Safe Winter Weather Travel

The weather is thought to have played a role in this accident. It is important that when you are driving in the winter that you are especially mindful of the conditions. When the temperatures are below freezing, there is always the potential for ice on the roadways, especially on bridges.

If there is snow on the road, this can make conditions just as slippery as ice. Make sure to keep a longer distance between your vehicle and the next, never slam on your brakes and drive slower and more cautiously. Use caution when you need to change lanes, especially on the highway.

When this type of accident occurs, it is important to make sure that you have all of the information necessary. Both those at fault and victims should contact a New York car accident attorney to get help in handling their insurance company and any medical bills. A New York car accident attorney can also aid in any suits necessary to cover the costs incurred as the result of being the victim of a car accident.