Tips for Driving Dangerous Winter Roads

As mid-winter approaches, meteorologists are predicting dry weather for the remainder of the season, quite a contest from the beginning of it, which was marked by record rains. The Los Angeles Times recently reported that L.A. has received 12 inches of rain since July 1, 7 inches more than usual. While drivers have navigated rain-slicked roads in Southern California, they've camped out in their cars in the north, waiting for the I-5 to reopen after snowstorms. Unfortunately, many of them have suffered weather-related traffic collisions.

Poor driving conditions, such as those caused by rain, snow, or fog, increase the risk of a crash. The National Highway Safety Transportation Administration, NHTSA, recently released its Traffic Safety Facts for 2009. According to the agency, traffic accidents took the lives of 33,808 people and left another 2,217,000 injured. Rain contributed to 2,675 of the deaths and 246,000 of the injuries, while 660 of the fatalities and 44,000 of the injuries were at least partially attributed to snow or sleet.

Preparing oneself and one's vehicle for winter weather is advisable prior to traveling. Below are NHTSA's safety tips for winter travel.

Vehicle maintenance. Breaking down on a slick freeway or a snowy mountain road is dangerous, as other vehicles could spin out and crash into you. Visit your mechanic for a tune-up and routine maintenance before taking a trip. If traveling to a particularly cold place, you should have the battery and cooling system inspected. The battery's power drops with the temperature, requiring more power to start a vehicle in cold weather. Have its voltage, charging system, and belts checked. Coolant expands as it freezes and has the potential to seriously damage the car's engine block. A vehicle should not only have adequate levels of coolant but also a coolant that can withstand cold weather. In most cases, a 50/50 mix of coolant and water will suffice. The cooling system should also be inspected for leaks. Every so often, the vehicle's coolant should be drained and replaced to prevent dirt and rust particles from clogging the cooling system.

Ensure that windshield wipers and window defrosters are working properly. Keep the windshield washer reservoir full, preferably with "no-freeze" fluid, and replace the blades on wipers when necessary.

Check the tread and air pressure of your tires. Inspect your tires monthly, checking tire pressure to make sure it meets the vehicle manufacturer's suggested PSI (pounds per square inch) of air pressure; this information can be found in the vehicle's owner's manual. When inspecting the tires' tread, look for uneven wear. The tread should be at least 1/16 of an inch or greater.

Prior to setting out for a trip, check the weather conditions of the areas in which you will be traveling. If the weather and road conditions will be poor, consider postponing the trip until conditions are better. Use maps to route your trip and allow extra travel time. Maintain a full tank of gas in case you become stuck in a traffic jam or in the snow and need to keep warm.