This week’s snow and ice is nothing new for Rochester, but without fail the rough weather always causes trouble across the city. Unfortunately, both in Rochester and nationwide, car accidents are more common during winter weather driving conditions. As of writing, there are approximately six million car accidents in the U.S. each year. If you want to get through another year of rough winter weather in Rochester, use these tips to protect both yourself and your car for another season.
Keep Your Car Well-Maintained
One of the largest issues that people run into when driving during a rough Rochester winter is cars breaking down or not running properly. Even if technically your car can still run with a few parts not entirely up to factory standard, it’s more likely that they can cause bigger issues for you in the winter. Take your car in for repairs as soon as possible if you have a part or two that don’t work. Dealerships across the United States wrote over 316 million repair orders in 2017, but you can also take your car to a local mechanic as well. The better your car runs overall, the better it can handle winter weather.
Don’t Run On Empty
No matter what fuel your vehicle runs on, whether it’s diesel, gas, or even electricity, keep your car well-fueled in the winter. Obviously, you want to stay fueled up in general, but what makes it so important in the winter? If your car ends up breaking down or stuck in the snow, you want to make sure you have enough fuel to keep your car running so you can have heat. Try to know where a few gas stations are that you can count on in a pinch, or if you drive electric, where you can plug your car in. With more than two dozen models now commercially available, some 800,000 Americans have made the switch to driving electric. However, charging stations are still sparse, so try to remember where you can find them when you need them.
Watch Out For Larger Vehicles
When you get behind the wheel, how you drive matters just as much as how you take care of your vehicle. Watch out for larger vehicles, especially if you have to drive on the highway. There are up to two million semi-trucks operating in the United States, and while drivers are trained to manage larger vehicles, they’re still dangerous in rough conditions. Larger trucks and buses can’t put on the brakes quite as quickly to begin with, and especially not in icy conditions. Give larger vehicles a bit of extra room on the road to avoid a collision.
Stay Prepared For More
Finally, never expect the most recent snow and ice to be the last of the season, or even of the week. Rochester’s lake effect combined with normally rough winter weather means there’s likely more freezing precipitation just around the corner. Stay stocked up on all the winter driving essentials like road salt, a high-quality ice scraper, a good shovel, and more. The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to run into travel issues due to the weather.
This recent bout of ice and snow has been rough on roads across the city. Keep your car ready for your commute through a wintry Rochester with these driving and general car tips. Be sure to bundle up – more cold weather is on its way.
