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As we enter Colorado’s snowiest month, we thought it would be a good time to talk a little bit about driving safely when the weather can turn from beautiful and sunny to blowing snow in no time at all.
After all, you don’t want Colorado’s quickly-changing weather and slick driving conditions to ruin a fun family outing that started earlier in the day with beautiful weather.
So when you are driving this month and throughout spring, make sure to use proper driving techniques for the conditions. That means you should slow down when conditions are not ideal. You also should:
1) Be careful when using your brakes. If you slam on your brakes, the wheels may lock up and cause you to lose control of your vehicle. If you begin to slide and your car has an anti-lock braking system (ABS), gradually apply pressure to the brakes. If you don’t have ABS, pump the brakes slowly until they grab.
2) Leave space between you and the others vehicles on the road. That includes vehicles that are behind you and next to you, as well as those that are those in front of you. A space cushion allows you more time to react if the car in front of you stops suddenly or if an accident occurs around you.
3) Keep moving your eyes. When driving in falling snow or rain, your eyes can become fixed on the repetitive motion, reducing your concentration and focus. Watch the road ahead but keep your eyes moving. Also look in your rear and side view mirrors to stay alert of what’s coming up behind and alongside you.
4) Make sure your car has plenty of windshield wiper fluid, an ice scraper and snow brush. When those first beautiful weather days arrive, we often think about removing those ice scrapers and other winter-time equipment from our cars. But it’s too early to that. March and April still bring plenty of snow and a need for those items.
If you should get in an accident during a spring snowstorm, be aware of whether the local jurisdiction is on accident alert. If it is, no one is injured and no alcohol or drugs are suspected of being involved, you need to move the vehicles to a safe location and exchange pertinent information, including .
- Names, addresses and phone numbers of all drivers and passengers involved in the accident
- License plate numbers
- Make and model of each car
- Driver's license numbers
- Insurance identifications
- Names, addresses and phone numbers of witnesses
If someone is injured in the accident, call the police or highway patrol, and cover the injured person or people with a blanket to keep them warm. Do your best to protect the accident scene, while also taking steps to protect you or your car from further damage, such as setting up flares.
To help ease the claim process, ask the investigating officer where you can obtain a copy of the police report. If a tow truck is needed to move your vehicle to a repair shop, keep in mind that your insurance company probably will want to have an adjuster inspect it and appraise the damage before the repair work is ordered.
We sincerely hope you don’t need to use this advice as you enjoy this crazy time of year in Colorado. Please know that we are here to help in any way possible. Insurance Advisors can be reached at 720-210-9898.
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