Friday, December 4, 2015

5 Winter Driving Tips From Spieler's Inc!

Winter can cause some hazardous road conditions due to snow and poor weather. Your #1 Car dealership in Missouri has you covered! We've put together 5 helpful tips that can assist you with poor road conditions and winter driving. Spieler's Inc. wants to make sure that everyone is safe on the road this season.


1. Tire Pressure


The change in temperature causes dramatic fluctuations in air pressure inside your tires. A drop in ten degrees can lower your overall tire pressure in one tire by 1-2 pounds! Low tire pressure can cause poor handling in bad road conditions and can be detrimental to your fuel economy. 


Solution:

Once a month, check your tires in the morning  to make sure they are at the pressure indicated in the owners manual. Checking all four tires takes just a few minutes and ensures that your vehicle's tires are operating at the correct pressure.


2. Accelerating


Lead-foot driving is already hard enough on the vehicle. During inclement weather, it can also cause controllability problems. Your vehicle can overreact on slick surfaces at the smallest turn and braking becomes more difficult. If a driver isn't careful, they could wreck their vehicle.


Solution: 


When accelerating, gradually get the car up to speed. The same advice works for turning - do so slowly. Every movement should slow down during poor weather to ensure the safety of everyone on the road.


3. Cruise Control


Cruise control is great for long distance and steady driving! Unfortunately, it can't predict a patch of black ice or adjust to changing road conditions. If your vehicle is set to maintain a certain speed and hits a puddle of water or a patch of ice, the computer will sense that the vehicle slowed down and try to accelerate - causing the resulting hydroplane to be much more dangerous.


Solution:


Keep the cruise control off and be a vigilant driver. If you find yourself in a situation where the vehicle is hydroplaning, you can decelerate and maintain positive control over your vehicle.


4. Fuel


If it starts to snow heavily or the rain is beating down hard enough that you cannot continue driving, it's time to pull over. You may not know how long the storm will last or how the road conditions will be after the storm. This means that you could be stuck in the vehicle for a long time! Having a vehicle with a nearly empty tank could become dangerous if stuck out in the elements for a long time.


Solution:


Always keep a half tank of fuel or more in your vehicle. This will allow you to wait out most storms, and keep you warm while you wait for help or for the storm to clear up. 


5. Clear Off Your Car 


Snow can add a lot of weight to your vehicle, negatively impacting performance and fuel economy. It can also cause additional risks to other drivers on the road. Additionally, snow covering the windshield causes extremely poor visibility.


Solution: 


Clear off and properly defrost your vehicle. Remove all the snow and get rid of the excess weight. This increases your visibility and reduces the chance of accidentally causing an accident if a sheet of snow slides off onto the roadway.


Spieler's Inc. Cares about Your Safety.


Driving during heavy winter weather increases the risk of accidents. Your best car dealership near Jefferson City is here to remind you that the cold weather brings about some complicated roadways. By following the rules of the road and maintaining a safety-first mentality, you can reduce the risks associated with driving in the upcoming months. 


Proudly Serving the Columbia,
Jefferson City, and California, MO Areas

1109 W. Buchanan St.
California, MO 65018


(888) 455-2107



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