Are You And Your Vehicle Ready For Winter Driving Conditions?

Staff

winter driving stephen vance 540

Are you and your vehicle ready for winter driving conditions? Last week motorists experienced winter driving for the first time this season and many weren’t ready for it.

On November 9, 2017 between 6:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., Grey County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to 14 motor vehicle collisions. Three involved deer, the rest were weather related.

With winter weather soon to be with us daily, Grey County OPP encourage all motorists to ensure that their vehicles are ready to meet the challenges of winter driving and to start thinking about changing their driving habits by slowing down and allowing more time to get to and from destinations in order to reduce the chances of being involved in a collision.

Here are some reminders:

Ensure your vehicle is mechanically sound and running well.
Ensure your fuel tank is always above ½ full.
Check to make sure your exhaust is free of holes or leaks.
Replace your windshield wipers and put winter washer fluid in the reservoir.
Put on winter tires for added traction and stopping ability. Remember to have the lug nuts re-torqued after 100 km or so to ensure proper fastening. Loose lug nuts could become a hazard by falling off due to vibrations while driving.
Ensure the vehicles defrost and interior heaters are working properly.
Check all running lights to ensure you can see and be seen.
The number one cause of motor vehicle collisions during snowy conditions is speed too fast for road and weather conditions. Remember – ice and snow – keep it slow!