The Kipness Law Firm, P.C

It is important to take precautions when driving in difficult conditions.  Driving should be adjusted according to weather and traffic conditions.  Driving under the speed limit is not enough.  One should always keep a safe distance from the car in front of you.  The faster you go, the more distance there should be.  You should drive slower when the road is crowded, when the roads are wet, or your vision is limited due to darkness or bad weather.  Remember to turn on your lights in these conditions.

When visibility is poor, use your lights.  It helps other drivers see your car. 

You should do the following when driving in the fog, which is the most dangerous driving hazard:

1. Think about how far you can see and how long it will take to stop;
2. Increase your following distance;
3. Keep an eye on your speedometer;
4. Turn on your fog [low beam] lights so others can see you [do not turn on your high beams which will cause glare];
5. Use the right edge of the road as a guide not the center line, which is closer to oncoming traffic;
6. Use wipers and defroster;
7. Never drive with the parking lights on; and
8. Consider postponing your driving trip or pull off the road until conditions improve

You should do the following when driving in the dark:

1. Drive slower than you would in the daytime;
2. Make sure you can stop within the distance of your headlights;
3. Turn on your lights if you cannot see 1000 feet ahead;
4. Turn on your lights 30 minutes before sunset and 30 minutes after sunrise;
5. Don’t look directly into oncoming headlights.
6. If driving in rain, use lowbeam lights and never drive with parking lights on;
7. Dim headlights or use the low beams when approaching another vehicle,
8. Use high beams or bright lights if driving in open country an no other vehicles are around

You should do the following when driving in snow:

1. If you cannot see more than 100 feet, do not drive faster than 30 mph;
2. Be prepared to stop to clean windshield, headlights, or taillights;
3. Improve traction by using snow tires or tire chains;
4. Slow down at first sign of drizzle or snow because road pavements are slippery due to oil;
5. Turn low beam headlights on not your bright lights;
6. Pull over and stop if you cannot see the edges of the road or other vehicles

Driving in bad conditions requires you to keep a space cushion around you.   Space gives you time to react to a hazard or accident on the road.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 4:22 pm and is filed under Dallas Auto, Truck & Vehicle Accident Attorneys. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.