As winter approaches, the old issue of how to stay safe in your vehicle pops up again. There are many safety hazards, but this article will pay special attention to how to remove the ice and snow from your car, and how you can ensure you’re staying safe with your car during snowy and icy conditions.
Why Is Snow and Ice Dangerous?
It is important to remove ice and/or snow from your car before it melts, as ice can result in significant damage to your car.
Although the chances of a major accident in the snow are as low as in most conditions, there is a significant chance of a minor accident in winter conditions because of the reduced visibility and more risks of skidding.
When it comes to snow around your property and in your neighborhood, it’s worth getting together with your neighbors to work out how to keep the roads around you clear. If any of your neighbors own snow blowers, these devices make clearing snow and improving the safety conditions much easier.
Ice can form on any surface that is at or below freezing point, and your car is no exception. With the rain, snow, and generally cold weather that winter brings, ice can form on your windshield, windows, and even under the wings.
Ice on the windshield is particularly dangerous because it obstructs part of your view. If you cannot see properly, you risk crashing into another vehicle.
The obvious solution is prevention—by ensuring that your vehicle is clear of ice before driving in the winter. Although conventional wisdom suggests that you should wait until it stops snowing, the problem is that while you’re waiting for clear skies, ice can form and damage your vehicle.
How to Prevent Ice and Snow from Forming
Your first port of call should be winter tires. If all the cars in your neighborhood used winter tires, ice and snow would not present such a problem because the roads would be safer and easier to drive on.
If you live in a place where snow is common, you should consider investing in a snow blower and clearing the snow from the roads and your driveway as soon as it falls. The quicker you clear it away, the easier it will be for other cars to drive down your street, and the safer your car will be.
Clearing Ice from Your Car
Many people use de-icer as a way of removing ice from their vehicles. De-icer is effective because it dissolves the ice, but you need to ensure that you don’t use too much, otherwise, you could damage your car.
Take care when using de-icer, and only apply it if the ice is on a flat surface. Also remember that de-icer is dangerous to wild animals and local wildlife.
When using a de-icer to remove ice from your car, make sure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. The type of de-icer you should use depends on what kind of material your vehicle is made from, as some materials may be more susceptible to damage than others.
