If you live in the state of Montana, you know one thing to be true: The winter months can bring quite a bit of snow and ice to the area. Even if you enjoy this weather, it can be difficult to hit the road when conditions take a turn for the worse.
For most, even if the weather is less than ideal, it doesn’t mean they can stay at home. Instead, they need to venture out as a means of going to work or school.
If you find yourself on the road, if you’re dealing with heavy snow and/or ice, here are several tips, shared by AAA, to follow at all times:
1. Accelerate and decelerate in a slow and controlled manner
When accelerating, apply the gas in a slow and steady manner to ensure that you gain traction and avoid skidding. Along with this, always give yourself plenty of time to stop your vehicle.
2. Slow down
If you do nothing else, make sure you slow down in snowy and icy conditions. If you drive too fast, you increasing the chance of losing control and causing an accident.
3. Leave more space between other vehicles
Since it will take longer to stop, make sure you leave plenty of space between your vehicle and others on the road.
4. Don’t stop if you’re traveling up a hill
Once you lose your momentum on snowy or icy roads it can be difficult to start back up. Unless you absolutely need to stop when climbing a hill, it’s best to keep moving forward.
5. Avoid sudden stops
When you slowly decelerate, you will eventually bring your vehicle to a stop in a safe manner. Conversely, if you attempt to stop quickly, it could result in losing control of your vehicle.
Along with the above, there’s one final detail worth mentioning: You should always keep one eye on the weather before you hit the road. This will give you a clear idea of what to expect, and whether or not conditions could worsen while traveling.
Unfortunately, even if you do your best to avoid trouble during inclement weather, other drivers may not share the same approach. As a result, you could end up in an accident in which you are injured.
If this happens, don’t wait to contact an ambulance and to receive medical attention. From there, you can review the accident, learn more about your legal rights, and decide what to do next.