Five Winter Driving Safety Tips

Winter driving can be treacherous in Colorado. Limited visibility, slick roads, and wildlife can all cause crashes in the suburbs or rural areas on the Front Range. Additionally, certain environmental conditions can amplify errors by other drivers. Fortunately, following a few key tips can help keep yourself and others safe on the road.

However, even the most cautious driver can still suffer an accident on winter roads. If you suffer an injury due to someone else’s actions in Colorado, you may be able to pursue an injury claim against them and their insurer. This claim can compensate you for your losses, such as medical bills and lost income. 

The experienced attorneys at Bachus & Schanker have protected injury victims in Colorado since 1996 and can help you determine your next steps after a winter car accident.

How To Navigate Winter Roads In Colorado: Five Key Ways

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 94% of traffic accidents result from driving errors. Only 2% of crashes result from environmental conditions and 2% from vehicle problems. This means that winter car accidents are not inevitable. Instead, you can take specific actions to reduce your risk of causing a collision while driving in winter weather.

Five essential tips for road safety in winter​ include the following:

1. Prepare Your Vehicle For Colorado’s Snowy Roads

All vehicles, including older vehicles, have many features that help you drive safely. As the colder months approach, you should check your vehicle to prepare for wintry conditions.

For example, test your windshield wipers and defroster to make sure you can drive with a clear view of both roads and road users. Also, ensure you have an ice scraper and snow brush in your vehicle. View obstructions like snow, ice, and frost can prevent you from spotting a road hazard before you hit it.

Additionally, any unaddressed maintenance issues can worsen in cold or wet weather. If your brakes squeak, you might need new brake pads. Remember that cold and wet conditions can reduce braking effectiveness, particularly if ice forms in the gaps between the brake pads and rotors.

Similarly, if your vehicle has any starting or running issues, they might worsen in cold weather. Stalling or losing power during the summer might just be an inconvenience, but stalling in the winter can be dangerous.

2. Ensure Proper Tire Care When Driving On Ice

The deep grooves in your tires provide a path for water, slush, and snow to flow away from your tires. Worn treads will slide on top of these substances instead of pushing them away. As a result, you may have less control over steering and braking, and you may be more likely to skid.

In Denver and the suburbs, all-weather tires may be enough to get you through plowed roads during the winter. These tires are pliable enough to handle cold weather and have deep enough treads to drive safely on thin layers of slush and snow.

However, if you live in rural areas without extensive plowing and salting, you may need winter tires. These tires include special additives to remain flexible to lower temperatures. They may also include studs to grip the ice. These tires can reduce your risk of sliding on snow-packed or icy roads.

Whether you’ll be driving in Englewood, Aurora, or other cities in the area, inspect your tires or visit a tire shop for an inspection before the first snow. A tire shop can measure the depth of your tire treads. If you need new tires, a shop can also help you pick the right tires for your location and driving habits.

3. Adjust Your Speed And Following Distance For Winter Driving Safety

Braking distances can increase significantly in winter driving conditions. Even when your vehicle has an antilock braking system, the surface of your tires simply has less friction with wet or frozen road surfaces than dry ones.

Slowing down has two crucial benefits, regardless of the weather and visibility. First, you are more likely to maintain control during emergency maneuvers at lower speeds. Even if you skid, you may have time to steer or brake safely at lower speeds.

Second, you reduce the crash energy if you collide with anything at lower speeds. A crash while sliding at five miles per hour might only damage your vehicle. A collision at 25 miles per hour, on the other hand, could seriously injure or even kill.

You can increase your safety margin even more by widening your following distance. Remember that everyone else will also have trouble stopping effectively when road conditions in Colorado​ deteriorate. This can be especially vital when driving in the mountains.

4. Be Ready For Winter Emergencies In Colorado

A crash on Colorado’s winter roads can leave you stranded. You can take steps to prepare for such winter emergencies with a few essential supplies. Keep a first aid kit in your car. A flashlight and snow shovel might also be helpful in certain emergencies.

Try not to drive on an empty tank in case your crash happens somewhere remote. You may need to keep your car running to use the heater until a tow truck arrives.

Make sure your phone stays charged, and keep a charger in your car. If you crash, you will need to call the police to report the crash and request any assistance you or the other driver may require.

5. Always Buckle Up: Seat Belts Save Lives On Slippery Roads

Sometimes, you can crash despite your best efforts. This could happen when conditions are so bad you cannot maneuver safely. It could also occur due to someone else’s careless driving.

In either case, wearing a seat belt can prevent serious or fatal injuries. According to the CDC, over half of adults between 18 and 54 who died in car crashes in 2021 were not wearing seat belts.

How Our Colorado Car Accident Lawyers Can Help

By taking the right steps, you can navigate winter road conditions in Colorado safely. If you do experience a car crash caused by another’s negligence, though, you may be entitled to pursue compensation under state law. When you hire Bachus & Schanker, we can:

• Gather evidence to prove your case
• File an insurance claim against the at-fault driver
• Negotiate for a fair resolution
• Litigate against the at-fault driver if they refuse to settle

Our car accident attorneys have decades of combined legal experience standing up to insurers for injured motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists and have recovered millions of dollars for injured victims throughout the state.

Citations:

Critical Reasons for Crashes Investigated in the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey. (2015).
Facts About Seat Belt Use. (2024).
Vehicle and Tire Safety. (2024).
Winter Driving Preparedness. (2024).