The perils on the road are indisputable and unfortunately, multiply during winter where ice covers the roads during the nighttime, leaving an unsafe path for the road commuters in the morning. That said, if you have been advised to practice safe driving tips during the good weather days, your efforts are best doubled during winter to avoid road accidents and harm.Although a reliable aurora towing service is just a call away for roadside assistance and tow rescue during emergencies, driving with precaution is still the best decision to make. Keep these safety tips in mind when driving on icy roads:
1. Keep a slow speed
While this golden rule is for all seasons, the degree of need to drive slow on icy roads is intensified. The slower you drive, the more you’ll be able to keep your control so make sure to ride slowly at all times especially if you are driving next to or before another vehicle.
2. Maintain at least three car-length distance between you and the vehicle you are tailing
Enough distance will play a crucial role in giving your car enough time to halt if the car in front of you suddenly stopped. The farther you are from other vehicles; the less likely collisions will happen.
3. Avoid brake-slamming
While slamming on your brakes seems to be the answer to avoid a potential collision, with an icy road, it is a whole different story. Doing so will lead to your wheels locking up and spinning out of control.
Instead of brake-slamming, make sure to step on your brakes in a pulsing, slow motion. Gradually apply pressure to the pedal until your vehicle has finally stopped or slowed down safely (This is also why maintaining a specific distance from the vehicle in front of you is vital).
4. Keep a low gear
Another vital rule to keep in mind when driving on icy roads is to keep your gear low as this will enable more traction between your road and your regular tires. In other words, the lower your gear is, the more grounded your vehicle will be, making your trip a lot safer and secure.
5. It pays to invest in snow tires
A lot of drivers think that regular tires will do just fine on icy roads. While this is partly true, if you are living in Colorado where there are big mountains and heavy snowstorms, a set of dedicated winter tires will actually enhance your trip’s safety dramatically especially when driving on I-25 or I-70 highways.
Brand new regular tires can provide great traction against the icy road but when compared to snow tires, they are not even half as great. What more if your regular tires are already worn-out?
“So, are snow tires really advantageous?”
Unlike regular tires, snow tires have the most appropriate tread patterns designed to keep traction against snow and ice. Aside from this, they are made of soft rubber compounds which are designed to keep more grip on the ground, making them really advantageous to use when driving during winter.
However, winter tires are unsuitable to use for summer because the soft rubber compound will tend to wear out quicker under the scorching heat. In this case, swapping the tires appropriately and in a timely manner is strongly advised should you decide to invest in snow tires.
6. Do not text while driving.
Records show that one of America’s top road killers that led to millions of road accidents over the past years is texting while driving. So, this is another vital safety tip to keep in mind at all times; not just in winter.
7. Refrain from pulling over in the middle of the trip
While it feels great to lend a helping hand on the road, pulling over on icy roads is something you should do less as it can end up doing more harm than good for the other vehicles you share the road with. Instead of doing it on your own, consider calling a reliable roadside assistance and Tow Truck Aurora company instead for professional help.
However, if the above mentioned tips didn’t suffice in keeping your Denver or Aurora CO trip smooth and you ended up needing a flatbed towing service, do not hesitate to give us a call at Towing Aurora. We offer reliable and premium roadside and towing services at affordable Denver towing rates. All it takes is a few rings; we’ll be in your location in minutes.