Five Winter Driving Tips to Help You Avoid Damage: Insights from an Auto Body Repair Shop in Melrose Park, Illinois
The winter season is now in full swing — and when it comes to operating a motor vehicle, it’s arguably the most troublesome season there is. This is why, when driving during the winter, it’s best to implement some strategies to remain safe on the road.
Are you wondering what these include? This auto body repair shop in Melrose Park, Illinois is going to explain below.
1. Keep Your Distance
Our first piece of advice is to keep your distance when driving. Because conditions might be icy, you’ll need more time to stop safely. If you’re too close to the vehicle in front of you, you’re bound to be involved in an accident.
How much distance should you keep? Most auto body repair shops in Melrose Park, Illinois recommend multiplying your usual following distance by at least 1.5. However, in particularly icy or snowy conditions, you should double it.
2. Keep Your Windshield Wiper Fluid Filled
During the winter season, you’re bound to end up with visually impairing substances on your front windshield. The mixture of salt, precipitation, and other substances can be nearly blinding. This is why it’s vital for you to keep your windshield wiper fluid filled.
This way, should your windshield become difficult to see through while in moving traffic, you can simply flick your wrist to regain your vision. Without wiper fluid, you could end up in dangerous situations, which often result in accidents.
3. Keep Both Hands on the Wheel
Some people view summer as a great time for leisurely driving. Winter, on the other hand, poses dangers that make leisurely drives problematic. Hitting a single patch of ice could spin your vehicle out of control, subjecting it to auto body damage, and you to injury.
This is why, during the winter season, you’re strongly advised to keep both hands on the steering wheel. This will optimize your ability to correct your vehicle if control is lost.
4. Reduce Your Speed
It’s also best to reduce your speeds on the road during the winter months, even when it’s not obviously snowy or icy. Just because you can’t see visible ice doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. Keeping your speeds down helps keep you in control if you do end up hitting a slick patch. It also gives you more time to react if something goes awry in front of you.
5. Clean the Snow and Ice Off Your Car
Cleaning snow and ice off your car can be tiresome, especially when it’s the thick stuff. However, it’s imperative that you do so, and to the fullest extent possible as well.
If you leave ice and snow on your car while driving, it could easily fall off while you’re on the road. This could impact other drivers and might even temporarily blind you while you’re in movement.
Your auto body repair shop in Melrose Park, Illinois will suggest making sure each part of your vehicle is, at the very least, visible under the snow before you start driving. As far as your windows go, you’ll want to make sure they’re fully cleared of ice. Even a small patch of ice could impair your vision in certain situations, leading to an accident.
Looking for an Auto Body Repair Shop in Melrose Park, Illinois?
Has your vehicle taken on damage this winter? Looking for an auto body repair shop in Melrose Park, Illinois that can fix the damage? If so, our team at Lombard Body & Fender is here to help.
We have repaired all sorts of auto body damage over the years — from paint damage to dents to frame misalignments and more. Regardless of your auto body repair needs, we have you covered. Contact us today at (630) 627-8688 to schedule a service.
