Although extreme weather isn’t typical in moderate Folsom, sometimes we find ourselves travelling in bad-weather situations. During the winter, already crowded and scary drives must occasionally also add bad weather to the mix. Torrential rain, snow, and ice can turn up on roads unexpectedly. In this way, severe weather can cause major hazards for drivers.
According to the Department of Transportation, on average (nationally), there are over 5,891,000 vehicle crashes each year. Approximately 21% of these crashes - nearly 1,235,000 - are weather-related. When you drive in bad weather conditions, you increase your chances of an accident greatly.
When facing bad weather, it’s important to prepare for the situation as best you can. The following steps can’t save you, but they can help you navigate the danger and determine if the risk of traveling is a wise one:
- Preparedness. Do you have an emergency survival kit in the car? Do you have a solar-powered, hand-crank flashlight with an emergency flashing mode? A copy of your insurance card and contact information written down in case of an accident?
- Awareness. Be aware of road conditions. Use driving applications to monitor your path before you set out on your journey. Driving applications like Google Maps and Waze can show you conditions along your route and help you plan a better one.
- Optics. Make sure your windows are clear of frost, ice, leaves and debris before you begin. Don’t drive through the worst kind of weather with a crack in your windshield.
- Traction. Check your tires carefully before driving into uncertain weather. You need good treads, proper tire pressure, no visible damage. If any of these things aren’t true, you’ll want to bring it in to an auto mechanic for auto repairs or get new tires.
- Engine. If you’re taking the car into scary territory, you’ll want to know that you have it stocked and outfitted for the journey. Check your coolant reservoir, make sure the appropriate antifreeze is there. Make certain the oil level is right and that you’re not questionably close to time to replace the filter. If you haven’t yet changed your air filters in your engine and cabin since the fires around California have put ash and smoke all over, you’ll want to do that.
A little bit of thoughtfulness before you make a journey in severe weather can be all the difference in an emergency. If you’d like to get your engine or tires checked by professionals, make an appointment with the auto mechanics at Foreign Autohouse in Folsom today! Just click on this link to schedule an appointment, or call us at 916-439-8668. We’re at 301 Blue Ravine Rd., Folsom, CA 95630. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM (we close 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for lunch on those days).