Let it Snow!

For anyone that commuted through the Salt Lake valley this morning, I’m sure we can agree on one thing: the snow fell and everyone temporarily lost their minds. (Bet some of you wish you had heeded my words ofadvice a couple of weeks back regarding winter prep now, eh?) People were slidingoff roads and skidding into opposing objects all over the place or gettingstuck behind that one car whose owner failed to remove any of the snow prior toputting it in drive. Fun stuff.

The thing to remember as the days are ticking down to Christmas, the day when all of our shopping prowess finally gets recognition (well, at least Santa gets credit anyway), is that we are all in a mad dash to pick up those last-minute gifts. We are all braving the elements to attend festive parties. We are all busy, with places to be and are on these icy roads together, so why not let some of that Christmas spirit affect the way we drive?

Be courteous, use your turn signals, slow down, give plenty of spacing between you and the car ahead of you and if it isn’t sunny, turn your lights on! Just because you can see, doesn’t mean other people can see you! Flurries and flat light, met with camouflaged salt-covered vehicles? Recipe for disaster! Vehicles with their lights on are much more visible and the best part is that they really are easy to turn on! A lot easier than dealing with an accident.

Another thing to remember is that even if you have snow tires, AWD or 4WD, that does not mean you will stop faster! Additional traction is always our friend, no one is disputing this, but any and all traction is lost by sudden changes in speed, like slamming on your brakes or “punching it”. Ever lost traction in a snowstorm, taking that corner a little too fast or tapping your brakes a little too vigorously? You then corrected this by letting off the gas or brakes. Like magic, the vehicle regains traction and you aresuddenly back in control of your vehicle! Well, it isn’t magic…it’s scienceactually. Slow down and just pretend your favorite person is 2 weeks old and sittingin the back seat. That should help you keep your lead foot under control and avoidcollisions and other likewise unfavorable and unbecoming scenarios, like roadrage.

Be safe out there! JP’s Collision Center urges you to buckle up and practice safe and courteous driving this Christmas and New Year’s season. Let people merge, always have a travel plan and never drink and drive! (Uber is seriously the easiest APP ever to use.) Let’s come together in the name of kindness and safety to ensure everyone gets home for Christmas this year!