Seven Tips for Safe Fall Driving
Now we can say that autumn has officially arrived. The drop in temperatures begins to take center stage, the trees are beginning to lose their leaves and bad weather is going to be quite frequent. So what you have to do is, above all, use common sense and exercise caution to ensure the safety of passengers.
From autos.com we want to give you some tips for driving safely in the autumn and thus guarantee safe driving during the autumn months, although winter will soon be upon you.
Car Tuning:
Before starting the route, you must check that your car is in optimal condition. Not long ago we were giving the key points for tuning the car in the fall. It is worth reviewing them briefly:
- Check the good mechanical condition and especially check the brakes.
- Check the wiper blades and the operation of the windscreen wipers (during the summer and due to the high temperatures they could have been in poor condition). By the way ... does the heated rear window work well?
- Check the vehicle's lighting system and its settings. Review what the lights are like and when to use them.
- Inspect oil, brake fluid, and wiper levels.
- Clean the vehicle, windows, headlights, fog lights, lights, mirrors, and reflective elements to see and be seen. In this sense, you may be interested in the article Tips and tricks for washing your car.
- Check tire pressure, tread, and grooves (minimum 1.6mm) to ensure good road grip and prevent slippage. Here we tell you how to get the tires with the correct pressure and what you should do in case of having a puncture.
- It carries the essential spare parts such as spare wheel at the necessary pressure and tools for its placement, duly approved reflective vest, and two approved danger warning triangles.
Speed:
The faster you drive, especially on wet and slippery roads, the longer it takes to stop the vehicle. Doubling the speed of your car can almost quadruple the amount of time it takes to stop safely.
Seat Belt:
A piece of advice that never goes out of style (for our good). Wearing a seat belt can save, or rather save around 100,000 lives a year. Plus, it's the best protection against injury from a sudden stop, sudden emergency maneuver, or traffic accident. Aside from wearing a seat belt, make sure the rest of the passengers wear it too.
Forget the Phone:
One of the biggest distractions when driving is using the mobile phone. Although in reality, it is a danger in summer, winter, spring, and autumn, from here we invite you to be careful. Just look at the video that shows that using your mobile phone (in this case, sending a message while driving ) you don't get anything, just get a good scare.
Beware of Animals:
Animal outrages are significantly higher during the fall season. Specifically, they occur at sunrise and sunset, and the problem is that most accidents happen because drivers try to dodge the animal too late and at the wrong speed.
Weather Forecasts:
The first thing we must do before leaving home if we want to undertake a considerable trip is to look at the weather forecasts. Autumn is a very beautiful season, but also very unstable in terms of weather conditions. You can be lucky and get sunny days and pleasant temperatures (as we have already had), but you could also face a trip in heavy rain or in fog (here are some tips for driving in the rain ). If it is going to be bad weather and you can change the date of your trip, do it. At this time puddles also begin to appear. Whenever possible, avoid the sides (where there is more) and drive along the central part of the road. If you enter a deep puddle, don't take your foot off the gas. This reduces the possibility of the car stalling if the water enters sensitive areas.
Watch out for the Leaves:
This may seem silly, but dry leaves can create dangers, especially if they are wet. According to this Ford study , they are as slippery as snow and could lead to aquaplaning . This is how you should drive in these areas.
- Maintain a safe speed. When you drive excessively fast, aquaplaning is more likely to occur.
- Slow down when you have to wait for large puddles of water.
- Make sure your tires are kept in good condition.
- Drive where the preceding vehicles circulate.
- To avoid collisions, keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.
However, dry leaves can also create hazards: if it rains and is wet on the road, its effect may be similar to that of aquaplaning, so slow down and drive through it carefully. Another tip is that at the end of each journey it is interesting to clean the dry leaves that have fallen on the car so that they do not accumulate and block ducts.
