While snow is not something that many Florida residents have to deal with, winter can still make the roads icy and slick. This means that tires lose their traction, and cars have a greater risk of spinning out of control or sliding into the rear of other cars. To keep themselves out of a car crash this winter, residents can consider the following tips.
First, when the weather is bad, one should go out on the road only when necessary. Assuming that the trip is necessary, drivers must moderate their speed because the faster they go, the less traction they have. Loss of traction leads to greater stopping distances, so drivers must make up for this by never tailgating but rather increasing the distance from the car in front. It should be a distance of five to six seconds minimum.
Drivers should be careful when going uphill, neither braking nor accelerating on the incline and slowing down only when they reach the crest. On every type of road, drivers are encouraged to accelerate and brake gently and gradually.
If their car comes with ABS or a feature like brake assist or electronic brakeforce distribution, drivers should be able to brake properly with these features. When possible, drivers should not brake to a complete stop but should keep some momentum going.
When car accidents occur in winter, drivers cannot blame the weather or the roads but their own negligence. In many crashes, fault is shared between the parties involved. Anyone who was injured may file a personal injury claim, but in this state, the degree of fault will naturally lower however much he or she recovers in damages. Building up a case and negotiating for a settlement can be difficult tasks, so victims may want to retain a lawyer.