Winter Driving Tips for Out-of-Towners on a Holiday Vacation

Nobody wants to activate their car insurance policy. Not even if it’s the coolest, cheapest policy in the world. But the fact is, many do. And often, it’s the result of not knowing how to handle ourselves in inclement weather conditions we’re not used to. So while you’re shopping for your instant auto insurance quote online, take a moment to review the following 5 essential rules of winter driving. Doing so may save you from having to even think about your car insurance policy again until the next time you compare auto insurance quotes.

- Listen to weather reports. The last thing you want to do is to find yourself on the road in the middle of a blizzard. Keeping an ear on local radio, keeping an eye on local TV broadcasts, or even downloading weather related smart phone apps can warn you in advance to stay indoors.

- Take it slow. If you find yourself in a blizzard and want nothing more than to find shelter, don’t rush yourself. Driving fast in snowy or icy conditions is the leading cause of car crashes in winter.

- Understand how your brakes work. If you’ve got antilock brakes, know how they’ll react when you hit them in slick conditions.

- Anticipate stops far in advance. This means keeping your eyes open far ahead of your current trajectory. If you’re approaching an intersection and it’s snowing hard, slow down as you approach so you’ll be able to stop if you have to.

- Keep a safe following distance between yourself and the car in front of you. Following too closely can cause you to rear end other drivers and cause pile-up situations. It’ll also drive up your insurance rates once everything is said and done, because you will have been at fault.

Visiting friends and family in far off, distant places is what the Holidays are all about – unless you just so happen to be the lucky soul who’s in charge of receiving all those unruly visitors. In that case, you’ve got your own separate troubles to deal with. But if you’re headed for wintry climes this winter and the limits of your experience stop at slick roads after a light rain, exercise extreme caution. Remember, the only time it’s good to even contemplate your level of car insurance coverage is when you get instant insurance quotes online as a part of your yearly routine checkup. Anything else, and you’re risking a blue Christmas instead of a white one.