27 Nov How to Travel Safely During Winter Weather

Winter weather can be beautiful and harmful—even deadly—at the same time. While you may want to stay home and watch the snow by the fireplace, chances are you have places to go and people to see. Traveling on winter ice and/or snow, either by vehicle or by foot, requires caution and care as one skid or slip can result in serious consequences. If you’ve been injured due to someone’s carelessness or negligent actions during winter weather, contact a personal injury attorney without delay.

Safe Winter Weather Driving Tips

If you must go out, AAA offers the following recommendations for reaching your destination safely:

Drive slowly—Winter weather slows everything down and road crews can only work so fast. Accelerate and decelerate slowly and remember that it takes longer to stop on icy and snow-covered roads.

Use caution on hills—Avoid stopping while driving up an icy hill because once you stop, it is almost impossible to begin moving again. Powering up the hill is also a bad idea: AAA warns that accelerating up a hill by applying extra gas can cause the tires to spin. The best course of action is to get a little inertia going before the hill and let the inertia help carry you to the top.

Use threshold braking—Apply the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal while keeping your heel on the floor. This method works on regular and anti-lock brakes.

Safe Winter Weather Walking Tips

Walking along city streets covered with ice is risky. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 out of 5 falls causes serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury. The following tips will help you stay upright when walking on ice:

Walk like a penguin—It sounds silly but the CDC highly suggests it as the best way to walk on ice. Simply spread your feet, keep your knees loose, and extend your arms to maintain balance. Take shuffling, side-to-side steps and you are on your way!

Put your phone away—Smartphones are not only a driving distraction but also a walking distraction. Putting your phone away places your focus on your surroundings and your steps.

Dress warm and wear the right shoes—Dress in layers so that you can remove layers when you reach your destination. Wear boots or shoes with strong traction and that provide protection from the elements.

Winter Weather Accidents Do Happen

You may take every precaution possible and still become a victim of a winter weather accident. Not everyone will use the same caution and care on the winter roads and neighborhood streets. Driving too fast for conditions, sliding around corners, and failing to treat or clear sidewalks and entryways can lead to serious injuries.

If you’ve experienced a traumatic injury due to the negligence or reckless behavior of someone else, contact RA & Associates today. Winter weather accidents do happen, however, it is inexcusable when someone fails to use caution and causes life-changing harm to others. Depending upon the circumstances of your case, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Winter weather slows us down and requires us to take our time reaching our destination. Unfortunately, many drivers do not exercise caution and many businesses fail to treat sidewalks and entryways. If you’ve been seriously injured due to no fault of your own, call us today at 888-417-1080 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation of your case. The sooner we review your case, the sooner we can decide upon the best course of action in pursuing justice for you