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The winter months bring a lot of changes, including worsened road conditions that are often unsafe for driving. Some companies offer paid time off for missed work time due to adverse road conditions, while others won’t penalize employees who can’t make it safely to the office. But when it comes to driving in the winter, your life is always more valuable than anywhere you’re trying to go, so if the roads are too dangerous, just stay home.
When ice forms on the windows and exterior of your vehicle, that’s a clear sign that the temperatures have dropped low enough to cause ice on the road. Ice is by far the most difficult winter condition to drive in, since no safety features or drive configurations can help you when you hit a patch. Before you decide whether to drive on the roads, check the outside of your car to look for ice.
The weather app on your phone is a useful tool for winter driving. Check the forecast every day to see what’s expected in the next few days. If you see a big storm coming, start planning ahead for how you can avoid driving if the roads are bad. Talk to your supervisor at work to see if working remotely is an option, or plan to take PTO on a major snow day. Without having to scramble and add more stress to your day, you can relax at home with a cup of hot chocolate and stay under a blanket, where you’ll be safe from the storm.
Even if you live an area where snow is rare, a rainstorm can still cause a hazardous driving situation. When you see big puddles on the roads, the standing water can cause you to skid or hydroplane, leading to increased risk of an accident. This is especially true in areas where rain isn’t as common, since drivers may not realize that they need to slow down and allow more reaction time.
If a flash flood occurs while you’re driving, try to pull over safely until it passes. Sudden onslaughts of rain often lead to big puddles since the water can’t drain effectively in such a short period of time.
When you combine a blizzard with dark skies, such as at dusk or before the sun comes up in the morning, the visibility is poor. Even with your headlights on, it’s hard to see more than a few feet in front of your car when snowflakes are falling around you. If you have an early shift or start work in the evening, it’s probably best to stay home when the snow starts to fall. If you see snow in the forecast on a day when you’re already at work, try to leave early if possible to avoid being on the roads during the storm.
Protect yourself by avoiding the roads when the weather gets bad during the winter months.