thought leadership

thought leadership

Vehicle safety during winter

 



 
Each year, Canada inexorably witnesses more than 100,000 vehicle collisions, resulting in millions of dollars in property damage and thousands of deaths. It is not surprising that the majority of these crashes occur during the winter. However, drivers can reduce the number of vehicle crashes and increase their own safety by understanding that caution is the best way to avoid an accident.

Precautions

Drive preventively, especially in winter conditions. The number of accidents increases during the winter, as driving conditions deteriorate. It is therefore important to drive preventively and with caution in these conditions. Extreme driving conditions demand increased concentration on the part of the driver who must be prepared for them.
Analyze your surroundings. Walk around the vehicle before getting behind the wheel. As you drive, analyze everything around you by carefully looking around and using the mirrors.
Turning at a traffic light: It is especially important to take a good look around if you are turning at a light at an intersection. Make sure the path is clear to turn before entering the nearby traffic lane. Allow two seconds before entering an intersection, in case a driver arriving in another lane does not stop. Look again, left, center, right, then left again before committing. Speaking of lighting, get used to always using all the different functions of your car's lighting system, headlights and red lights in the back.
Backing up: One of the most common accidents is backing up into an object, such as a post or fire hydrant. Using your central and side mirrors, you can keep an eye on your surroundings before backing up. If you don't know what's behind you, it's best to walk around the vehicle to see if anything is obstructing the path. Before backing up, take a good look at where you plan to move. Make sure nothing is a problem. Remember, it is much safer to park in reverse in order to start again in forward gear.
Respect for signage, rights of way and stops. A significant number of accidents occur as a result of a driver disobeying signs or traffic lights or failing to give way as required by the signage. Disregarding signage rarely saves time and compromises safety. If the roads are wet or snowy, the distance needed to stop can be multiplied by at least three. Increase your stopping distance by reducing your speed and preparing to stop as soon as possible. Finally, disobeying signs or traffic lights can cost you hundreds of dollars in fines and several points on your driving record.
Remember to always wear your seat belt! Drive like your life depends on it!
These precautions sound simple, but you can make sure you get to your destination if you follow them.
Preparation in the event of an incident

Prepare if you get stuck: have a bag with two blankets, a woolen hat, gloves, a bottle of water, cookies, band-aids and pocket books.
Keep a flashlight in the vehicle and extra batteries.
Have a disposable film camera (no batteries needed): to take pictures of the collision, damage, etc. for insurance.
Limit cell phone use: save battery when rescue operations are delayed.
Save fuel: Leave the engine off for an hour and start it for up to 15 minutes to warm up.
Have folding cards and a marker: for making emergency signals.
Keep a typed list of emergency contact numbers (stick on the dashboard): in the event of a concussion.
Have a shovel and a strip of carpet: to shovel obstructions and improve grip in case of small problems.
Snow

Snow reduces grip and visibility. Reducing speed and increasing safety distances between cars are extremely important to gain visibility and to have good vehicle control. Drivers should accelerate smoothly when driving on a snowy road (imagine an egg is between your foot and the accelerator or brake pedal and you cannot break it). If the drive wheels are spinning, the driver should take their foot off the accelerator and press down as gently as possible.