Sandra Zisckind Provides 8 Driving Tips to Help Stay Safe this Winter

As the first major snowfall hits the GTA, it is important to be extra careful when navigating the roads. Toronto police estimate that there will be a collision every three minutes across the city, with more than 140 collisions since 5 a.m.

As Environment Canada predicts the GTA will see approximately 15-20 cm of snowfall by end of today, snowfall warnings have been issued across much of southern Ontario including: Dufferin-Innisfil, York-Durham, Halton-Peel and Niagara regions.

As a result of the snowfall, these rough conditions have led to a number of collisions and car accidents (and injuries) across the GTA. Earlier today, two school buses lost control and drove off the road in Toronto. Fortunately, Toronto Paramedic Services announced that both buses remained fully upright with no injuries.

According to the Toronto Star” Const. Clint Stibbe with Toronto police traffic services said that today’s three-minute crash average is more than double the normal number of collisions, though it’s impossible to say how many were a direct result of poor conditions.”

Stibbe also said that “We’ve been saying all morning, give yourself lots of extra time, take it slow. In the end, if everyone just takes it easy, they’ll get to their destination safely.”

Sandra Zisckind of Diamond and Diamond Personal Injury Lawyers provides 8 winter driving safety tips:

Get your vehicle ready for winter in the fall

This includes making sure your battery is fully charged, replace defective ignition wires, brake pads are even, tire pressure is appropriate and that there are no cracks or leaks in your heating and cooling system. It’s important to make sure that four matching winter tires are installed.

Plan your trip and check the weather

Before going out, make sure to check weather conditions. Blizzards provide the worst driving conditions and can last six or more hours. In these conditions, if alternate plans cannot be made to stay home, proceed with extreme caution.  Snow and ice are more slippery at 0 degrees Celsius vs. -20 degrees Celsius or below. Black ice is prominent at between +4 and -4 degrees Celsius and can often be found on shaded areas of a road, bridge or overpass.

Pack an emergency kit

It’s important to always keep some essentials in your car when travelling in unsafe conditions. I recommend the following:

• Shovel
• Cloth
• Extra clothing and footwear
• Emergency food pack
• Booster cables
• Flashlight
• Windshield washer flue
• Fuel line antifreeze
• Reflective items or a vest (to increase visibility to other drivers)
• Ice scraper and brush
• First aid kit
• Blanket

Learn and practice winter driving techniques before you need them.

The best way to avoid a skid is by reducing driving speeds to accommodate for poor visibility and road conditions. However, if you find yourself in a situation where you have lost control of the vehicle, there are a few ways to get back to safety. AAA provides tips here on driving in poor conditions.

Remove all snow from your vehicle before each trip.

Not only may snow on your vehicle impact your visibility, it can also impact drivers around you. Make sure your vehicle is clear of snow before you take control of the vehicle.

Give yourself extra travel time in bad weather.

It’s important to plan ahead and provide extra time to compensate for weather conditions. All to often I see drivers rushing to their destination as they try to make it on time for 9am work.

Wear your seatbelt

If you find yourself losing control of your vehicle, a seatbelt could save your life.

Travel with a fully charged cell phone

Make sure to fully charge your phone before travelling. In the event of an emergency, it’s important to have enough battery to call for help or to access GPS/map software on a smartphone.

If you find yourself in an accident, Diamond and Diamond Personal Injury Lawyers have the experience in navigating the insurance claims process and helping accident victims get the compensation they deserve. If you’ve been injured, call us on our free injury hotline at 1-800-567-HURT (4878) or contact us here.