Even in Texas, winter weather can turn your daily commute into an icy obstacle course. Texas Department of Insurance offers the following winter driving tips to help you stay safe if you take to the road in the cold.
- Winterize As Early As Possible.
- Check your car before the weather changes. Test your battery, antifreeze, windshield wipers and fluid, headlights and hazards, heater and defroster, brakes, tire pressure, and tire tread.
- Check roads and weather.
- You probably have apps for directions and weather, but you can also get road conditions from the Texas Department of Transportation. For weather tips and local conditions, visit the National Weather Service.
- Plan ahead.
- Leave plenty of time to get where you’re going. If you can wait for better weather, you should. And if there’s a route that lets you avoid bridges, ramps, and overpasses, take it.
- Slow down, stay back.
- Reduce your speed and don’t tailgate. If there’s ice on the road, you’ll need three times as much space to stop. If you do start to skid, steer in the direction of the skid.
- Keep an emergency kit.
- If you get stuck, stay in your car. Keep a fully charged cell phone, charger, and a hand-crank or battery-operated radio handy. It can also help to have jumper cables, a spare tire, flares, blankets, a flashlight and batteries, cat litter or sand for traction, food and water, a first-aid kit, and matches.
