Driving in extremeweather conditions is dangerous. With road accidents getting worse every year due to higher density of fog and inability to get a clear vison of the road ahead leading to crashes, driving in winter has become scary too. Almost 100% increase in fog-related road accidents during winter between 2014 and 2017 in India is a fact that’s enough to shake our soul.
With number of deaths reaching 11,090 people in such accidents in 2017, which is 20% more than 9,317 deaths that occurred in 2016. As responsible citizens of India, we must help in reducing these deaths by practising safe driving and calling the helpline number for immediate rescue.
Hassle-free driving with defence
Keep your fuel tank half-filled at all times and same with working battery for hassle-free driving. Also, make sure to never warm up your vehicle in any enclosed area in winters. For driving safely in winter it requires a lot of techniques that are more defensive in nature and stay extra vigilant. Some safety tips to follow while driving in winter or extreme cold weather are:
- Vehicle Maintenance: Always make sure your vehicle is in proper working condition during winter. It is possible by reducing the pressure from your vehicle with the appropriate to set of winter tyres having plenty of tread for good traction limit in accord tothe road conditions in winter.
- Track Weather Conditions: keep tabs on weather updates before driving along a particular route and accordingly, plan or delay your journey.
- Increase Safe Distance time: Increase the time of following space to 6 -10 seconds. It will give you enough time to stop your vehicle in cases of emergency. Also, don’t make use of cruise control features while driving in winter and foggy weather. Driving at a less speed with more following distance will reduce the chances and the number of accidents.
- Clear View of the Road: keeping a clear view of the road is of utmost priority during the winter with proper heating and cooling systems installed in the vehicle. During foggy weather, you should make sure that your wipers, headlights, and fog lights are in proper working condition. Any problem in these parts can hamper your visual acuity.
- Safe Driving Speed: Speeding or too slow driving in winter is dangerous. You will have to maintain a safe speed. In case of too slow driving, there is a higher risk of being hit from behind by other vehicles. Also, one of the reliable ways to prevent accidents during winter is to avoid stopping your vehicle on slippery/snowy roads in northern India or even when riding uphill anywhere in the country unless you have to.
- Practicing prevention safety: Practising this will help you prevent your vehicle from skidding or spiraling out of control. Drive slowly during foggy weather to easily anticipate any upcoming obstacles or signals in front of you.
- Stock Safety Gear: In winter, the possibility of accidents and the occurrence of vehicle breakdown increases. Hence, it is advisable to be prepared to face the harsh weather by having jacket, blanket, and gloves along.