Here in Milwaukee, the arrival of cold weather also brings the opportunity for snow and ice. We must be cautious while on the roads all of the time, but especially during winter as icy roads can increase the likelihood of a vehicle losing control.
Keep these tips in mind to make your trek on icy paths a bit safer:
• Steering. When driving on ice, hold the steering wheel with a 9 and 3 grip. It is important to remember that it is easy to oversteer while driving on ice. It is natural to think that the more the wheel turns, the more the car will turn — as on asphalt. On ice, this is not the case and can cause the situation to become much worse.
• Braking. Many people believe that brakes should be pumped when braking on ice. This is no longer true with vehicles that are equipped with anti-lock braking systems (ABS). You should apply maximum brake pressure and let the ABS go to work.
• Countersteering. Maintaining or trying to regain control after losing traction on ice can be very difficult. If the vehicle loses control, you should turn the wheel in the direction opposite to the car’s sliding direction. This should be done cautiously, as too much countersteering can have dangerous results.
If you can manage it, try not to get on the roads until after plows and sanding trucks have cleared the roads. In icy, stormy weather, be sure to keep your lights on and your windshield clean for visibility purposes.
Even if you follow these tips, there is still a chance that you could get into an accident that is outside of your control. Typically, the fault lies with the driver who collided with the rear of the car in front of it, but sometimes certain circumstances can result in the driver of the front car taking some of the responsibility.
If you do find yourself victim of a rear-end accident, start protecting your rights at the scene by contacting the appropriate authorities, taking pictures of any damage and gathering important information from all parties involved. If you or a loved one has been injured after an accident, contact the expert attorneys at Hupy and Abraham, S.C., by calling 1-800-800-5678 or by visiting www.hupy.com.
