Spring is always a welcome sight for sore eyes in St. Louis. Although this year’s Winter was relatively mild, we think its important to discuss Springtime safe driving tips. After all, you don’t want to end up having to call us over something that could have been prevented in the first place!
Springtime Safe Driving Tips
April showers bring May flowers…and a dented fender. You should always be cautious when travelling in your vehicle during or shortly after a rain storm. Safe driving starts with slowing down. Any time you are driving in wet road conditions, you should reduce your speed and increase your following distance. Wet road conditions also increase the likelihood of hydroplaning, which can cause you to lose control and be involved in a car crash
Be a courteous motorist to bicycles. As we have discussed in prior blog posts, there are more cyclists on the road now than there have ever been. Springtime safe driving should include keeping a watchful eye out for any of our fellow non-motorized commuters. Keep in mind that cyclists are permitted to use the entire driving lane while cycling, therefore, you should always pass with caution allowing at least 3 feet between your passenger mirror and the cyclist. Also be sure to give them plenty of following space to avoid a collision.
Be aware of allergy medications and safe driving. Spring brings allergies for millions of people each year. It is important to understand that some over-the-counter allergy medications can cause drowsiness. Make sure your safe driving is not impacted by an unexpected medication side effect.
Go around potholes, if possible. We understand that avoiding potholes is sometimes impossible, but it’s important to attempt to go around them so that you don’t lose control of your vehicle. In addition to impacting your safe driving at the time of striking the pothole, it’s possible that by striking one, you could do damage to your vehicle which could impact your vehicle’s safety at a later time.
Large puddles could be your worst nightmare. Safe driving could be affected by driving through puddles, as they could moisten your brake pads causing you to need more stopping distance, or cloud your vision making it difficult to navigate the road safely.
Keep your tires properly inflated. It’s a good safe driving tip to check your tire inflation often. Low tires can bring on many headaches such as poor gas mileage, increased stopping distance, increased chance of a blow out, and more. It’s a good idea to check the air levels in your tires about once a month and add air, if needed. Always remember to check the pressure in your tires when they are “cold,” or before you have driven a long distance. “Hot” tires, or tires which have traveled a long distance, may give you an incorrect reading on air pressure.
We at Kullmann, Klein & Dioneda hope you found our Springtime safe driving tips useful. If for some reason you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and you believe the other driver was not practicing safe driving, call our firm today to discuss your legal rights.
Brought to you by STL’s experts in safe driving
Kullmann, Klein & Dioneda, P.C.
Call us today at 314-862-7222 if we can help or a loved one