Well, if you were working or traveling yesterday, then chances are your journey took a little longer than normal because of the snow storm. Now we did get some snow over the weekend, but I think it’s safe to say that yesterday was the first official snow storm of the 2013-14 winter season, and that means more winter driving conditions are ahead.
Now I’m not sure why everyone was freaking out about yesterday’s storm. Yes, it was snowing pretty heavily, but it certainly wasn’t a blizzard by any stretch of the imagination. But nonetheless, a snow storm it was, and there were cars all over the road, which means there’s going to be quite a few CT auto insurance claims in the very near future. So today and tomorrow, we’d like to discuss the most common mistakes made on the roadways before, during, and after a winter storm.
1) Forgetting to turn off your wiper blades when parking your car. This is easily done, and I’ll admit, I’ve done it before but have been lucky. With the cold weather, the wipers can freeze on the windshield, or with heavy snow, can prohibit the wipers from doing their job. But this will cause the wiper motor to burn out, leaving you with quite the repair bill.
2)Washer Fluid use- If it’s really cold outside, using windshield washer fluid can cause a frozen barrier on your windshield that can further inhibit your vision. Pull into a gas station to clean the windshield if you must.
3)Winter wipers- make sure you have them on your car because, well, their specifically designed for winter weather conditions. The normal wiper blades are made for rain, not snow and sleet, and can do more harm than good if used in the winter.
4) Ignoring the gas light. This is simply not a smart decision, because if you get stranded on the road in a snow storm, you’re going to want as much gas as possible to keep the heat on. No gas= no heat!
5)Using hot water to thaw your car’s windows- Again, simply not a good idea. The extreme heat of the water and the extreme cold of the window will not mix well and can easily cause the window to break.
Stay tuned for tomorrow when we’ll discuss five more things to be on the lookout for during the winter weather. Your CT auto insurance company will thank you!