As the temperature drops and snow falls in record numbers, it is important to make sure your vehicle is ready to hit the road safely.
Did you know that failing to remove snow and ice from your vehicle can result in a hazardous driving ticket?
- Keep a dual snow remover with a brush for snow and a scraper for ice in your car at all times.
- Make sure your front and back windshield is free from snow and ice. Don’t forget the sideview mirrors!
- Knock ice off of windshield wipers with a gentle tap. Some people prefer to leave the windshield wipers propped up, but if you park in an area with strong winds, the windspeed may cause further damage to the wipers, so be cautious.
- Clear the nozzles from the hood that dispense windshield wiper fluid. These nozzles tend to freeze fast. If your windshield wiper fluid doesn’t dispense, don’t hesitate to pull safely to a station or parking lot to clean the windshield. Better yet, keep a spray bottle of windshield fluid in the trunk of your car so that you can clean the windows more effectively.
- Remove snow, slush, and ice buildup from the tire wells. Failing to do so can affect the vehicles ability to turn, brake, and stop.
- Don’t forget the hood roof and trunk of your vehicle! We have all seen it on the roads: clean windows and windshield on cars that have a huge amount of snow blowing from the roof of a vehicle! This can create hazardous driving conditions. Snow left on the hood of your vehicle can dust up and block your sight, and snow on the roof can fly off and create a hazard for following vehicles. Do yourself and fellow motorists a favor: remove the snow from all parts of your vehicle.
Should I warm up my vehicle before driving?
- With few exceptions, the answer is NO, it is not necessary, or in some cases, safe.
- Experts mechanics agree, “warming up” your vehicles is an antiquated necessity and is simply not necessary with modern cars. You can start your car immediately before removing snow, which only should take a couple of minutes.
- Warming up modern cars can actually do damage to your engine! It only takes about five minutes to warm up the engine, and the car is drivable at that interval.
- Leaving a car idling is not only dangerous, in some states, illegal! You should never leave a car running isle, especially in a garage, due to possible carbon monoxide poisoning. Starting your car remotely in a public area, is like a gift to car thieves!
Yes, I know, we all want to get into a nice toasty car as soon as possible, and it might be tempting to forgo clearing your vehicle completely of snow to get out of the frigid temperatures. But these tips are necessary to follow to ensure safe driving during winter weather for ALL motorists on the road.
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in an automobile accident due to another driver’s negligence, contact my office immediately. As your Ohio car accident attorney, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For over four decades, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus, Dayton and neighboring communities. You can reach Tim by email at misnylaw.com/ask-tim-a-question/ or call at 877.944.4373.