HARTFORD, Conn — With possible snow storms coming later this week, AAA has some tips on staying safe when out on the roads this winter.
Tracy Noble, AAA spokesperson for Great Hartford, had advice on this week's Car-Pinionated which can be seen at 9;30 p.m. Monday - Friday on FOX61+ .
"First and foremost, use caution. And the second thing would be to realize that speed limits are for ideal driving conditions," said Noble. "So if we are in the midst of rain, snow, sleet, you actually do need to slow down and increase that following distance."
She went on to say that in slippery conditions, you need extra room than you would on dry roads. She also reminded drivers to put down their phones and decrease distractions while driving. "We hear all the time people missing exits or not knowing, you know, oh, I missed my turn. I did this I did well, then your your concentration was not on the road. And that's exactly where we need your concentration to be, especially in winter weather conditions."
Noble reminded drivers that although they may have all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, while those may be great to get through the snow, they don't help in stopping in slippery conditions. Also, drivers should be familiar with how the system on their vehicle works and how to operate it correctly.
"You need to make sure you're familiar with that practice knowing whether or not you can engage the four wheel drive on the fly, or if you have to actually go into neutral and take some extra steps," said Noble.
"The majority of people do have all season tires. Now I've got friends and family that live in other climates that do swap out their tires because of the heavy winters they have. So if that is your situation, and a winter tire serves you better, because those are your conditions for a prolonged period of time, then absolutely invest in the winter tires," said Noble. "But all season tires do work very well. If you have occasional winter weather, so you just need to know what your vehicle is equipped with. And make sure those tires have enough tread on them to get you through the winter. The last thing you want to be on is a bald tire. We know that is not going to work on any slick surface."
If you do have a breakdown or crash, be aware of where your vehicle is being brought for service.
"AAA actually has two car care centers in Connecticut that we would be happy to service your vehicle at. But we also have and approved auto repair network. So these are local repair shops that go through rigorous approval processes to get that AAA seal of approval," said Noble. "It's personal preference. So you want to use a trusted mechanic, you want to use somebody you've used before. And it's really important to establish that relationship, whether it be, you know, through family, friends through connections, or simply using a shop consistently so that they get to know you and your vehicle."
Lastly Noble urges drivers to make sure they have a Winter Emergency Kit that includes:
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Jumper cables or jump pack.
- Basic toolkit, screwdrivers, pliers and adjustable wrench.
- Duct tape
- Plastic zip ties
- Rain poncho
- Tarp
- Blanket
- Gloves
- Warning devices
- Flares
- First aid kit
- Non perishable food items
- Ice scraper with a snow brush.
- Traction aids like non clumping kitty litter
- Shovel
Doug Stewart is the host of Car-Pinionated which airs weeknights on FOX61+ and the Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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