How To Prepare A New Driver For Winter Driving Conditions

Inexperience in a driver can be a dangerous thing under normal driving conditions.  When you add into the mix a steady snowfall or storm that brings a mix of rain and ice to the roads it can be a recipe for a New Haven auto accident.  That is why it is so important that inexperienced drivers are prepared for the road ahead when it comes to dangerous driving conditions in the winter months.

The good news is that under supervision there are some things that you can do to help your inexperienced driver learn to navigate the difficult conditions that may face them when they are on the road in the winter months.  According to a AAA driving instructor the following actions can be taken to help your inexperienced driver feel more confident in her/his ability to drive in snowy or icy conditions.

1. Take them somewhere safe where they can practice in light winter conditions.  If there is a light coating of snow on the ground take her/him out to a parking lot where there are no cars and work on turning and braking in these snowy conditions.  This will require you to be quick on your toes to take advantage of the natural elements for this type of training, but when the driver you’re training is better equipped to deal with more serious winter road conditions you’ll be glad you did.
2. Establish some dos and don’ts for your inexperienced driver – for example, DO drive slowly, DON’T use cruise control.  These are just two of the examples given here.  A good list of easy to remember dos and don’ts will go a long way when a situation occurs that the driver has not experienced before.
3. Encourage your inexperienced driver to keep a much larger distance between them and the car in front of them.  When following on the highway drivers should be given an additional 4-10 seconds of space between you and the car in front of you then you normally would give when the weather conditions require it.
4. It is critical to allow your inexperienced driver a safe place to practice driving in snowy conditions.  The more “safe” practice she/he can get in before taking these skills into the real world driving conditions the better off they will be at handling an unexpected situation caused by wintry weather.

If you have prepared your inexperienced driver for what is to come when road conditions get bad you have done your part to encourage them to stay safe in the winter and not get into a New Haven auto accident.  It is, of course, then up to the driver to make good decisions and utilize the safety measures that were taught in practice in a real world driving situation.

Injuries from car accidents do happen during the winter months and if you are hurt you may wish to speak with an attorney.  Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will work with you protect your long-term interests.