Driving during the winter has its challenges, whether it’s being stuck in snow or icy conditions that can cause you to slip off a road, there are certain safety measures that we can take to make it home safely. However, there are several winter driving myths that we all have heard of, some of which could make driving even more dangerous and could even cause a car accident. We’ve outlined four of the most common winter driving myths that don’t improve your car’s performance or make driving any safer.
Four-wheel drive cars are safer.
This isn’t true. The advantage of a 4 wheel-drive car compared to a two-wheel-drive car are that it has a slightly better grip on the road. However, they take longer to stop in snowy and icy roads than 2WD cars. Whether you drive a two-wheel or a four-wheel-drive car, the advice is to brake and accelerate gently during winter conditions and to always leave enough space between you and the car in front of you.
When it’s cold outside, engines need extra time to warm up.
We’ve all heard that during cold weather you have to wait for your car to warm up if you don’t it won’t perform as it should or you will damage the engine. Warming up a car’s engine is not necessary anymore, modern cars have an improved injector system compared to older cars and they need no more than 30 seconds to properly lubricate engine components. The best way to warm up a car is to actually start driving. Sitting in your idling car only emits more pollutants into the environment and does nothing to improve the car’s health or performance.
Winter tires aren’t better than all-season tires.
Winter tires are a better and safer option than all-season tires if you live in an area that gets several inches of snow during winter and has sub-zero temperatures. All-season tires do work for snow and ice but winter tires provide higher performance. They are made from a different rubber which provides a better grip on the road and they also have a deeper tread than other tires which help it be safer. Testing has shown that a vehicle with winter tires stops and accelerates faster than one without.
You only need to clear snow from your windshield and rear window.
Not only is it safe to scrape or brush off snow from your windshield and rear window but side windows, hoods and car roofs could accumulate snow as well. This snow could slide off to the front or rear windows and block your vision. It could also slip off onto other cars and cause an accident. If the snow from your car blocked the other driver’s visibility and caused the accident, you may be held liable for their injuries. A car accident lawyer can help you during the claims process, however, you can prevent this by scraping or brushing the snow off from every part of your car.
Whether you’re driving in the snow, ice, rain, or on a hot summer day, it’s important to keep your vehicle maintained and follow safe driving rules. It’s also wise to keep an emergency kit in your car that includes a flashlight, a blanket, map, a battery-powered radio, a first-aid kit, and other necessities that can help you in case of an accident. Check weather conditions before making a long trip, especially during the winter. If you don’t need to go anywhere during a snowstorm, it’s better to stay inside and avoid driving in such dangerous conditions. We can all take safety measures to protect our lives and the lives of other drivers on the road.