Winter car accident in St. George, Utah

 

When we think of winter and road safety, what words come to mind? Dangerous conditions, icy roads, more auto accidents, more safety precautions, etc. Many people are weary of driving during the winter months with good reason. The months of December through March are known for causing more auto accidents than any other season of the year. So what are some safety precautions you can take during these upcoming winter months that can not only make you more comfortable when driving, but also help prevent serious injuries and auto accidents? Let’s discuss. 

 

October 23, 2022 in St. George, Utah

Before we dive into safety recommendations, let’s discuss a recent icy day in St. George that caused multiple accidents already this October. On Sunday October 23rd, 2022, St. George suffered from a snow/ ice storm causing a number of auto accidents along I-15. Unfortunately the accidents also caused bumper to bumper non-moving traffic for over an hour, which is a common residual effect of auto accidents during winter months. 

Thankfully, all accidents were minor and no serious injuries were reported. There was a total of five accidents with multiple other smaller crashes seen further down I-15 from the original location.

Another thing to keep in mind, one small collision on icy roads can lead to multiple other accidents as vehicles tend to skid further than expected, and cars are very difficult to stop without rolling.

For more information regarding this article, click the following link Auto accident in St. George.

 

Vehicle Driving Safety Recommendations

In order to try and avoid minor or major accidents this winter season, there are important safety techniques and tips you can be aware of. Let’s start with safety protocols that involve your vehicle itself. 

1. Make sure you have snow tires
2. Check your windshield wiper blades and make sure they are working properly
3. When driving on any road, increase your follow distance to 5-6 seconds
4. When making plans, plan ahead and don’t give yourself a tight schedule
5. This goes without saying, “definitely do not speed on icy conditions.”
6. Be patient
7. And the golden rule, always wear a seatbelt
8. When stopping, use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake

 

Safety Supplies to have in your Vehicle

In the case that you are stranded on the road, either due to an auto accident on the road or due to an issue with your own vehicle, there are safety supplies that we recommend you have in your vehicle during Utah winters.

1. Food and snacks
2. Spare Water 
3. Winter clothes
4. Blankets
5. Emergency flames
6. Flashlight
7. Extra batteries
8. Hand crank 
9. Battery powered radio
10. Shovel
11. Jumper cables
12. Neon flag or ribbon
13. Cell phone
14. Chains or ropes

 

Causes of Winter Auto Accidents

Ok, next for us to cover is what safety protocols people forget that cause driver negligence in snowy conditions. These tie in to the safety protocols we recommended for you at the beginning of this blog. 

1. First and foremost is driving too fast 
2. Failure to turn on your headlights
3. Improper tire pressure or vehicle maintenance
4. Changing lanes too fast or not using a turn signal
5. Following too close to the vehicle in front of you

 

Road Safety is  Always Number 1, but Even More so During the Winter Months

In summary, icy conditions highly increase the risk of car accidents especially in our metroplex, since weather conditions can change rapidly. If you can stay home and avoid the road, that is the best way to stay safe. However if it is a necessity for you to drive, please review the safety precautions we discussed today. 

 

Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT)

For specific road conditions, traffic updates, auto accident occurrences in our metroplex, check out the UDOT government website. UDOT  Utah’s most renown traffic authority. UDOT encompasses more than 700 overhead traffic cameras and 1500 in-road traffic sensors that are constantly capturing photographs, video and traffic data on all major Utah Department of Transportation roads. They update their site and social media constantly. Here is their link to stay up to date UDOT Traffic Updates.

 

Where to contact us if you need help!

If as a result of someone else’s winter negligence, you suffer from an auto accident injury, please reach out to us for help. We are an experienced law firm with many years of practice regarding car accident cases during winter months. Call us or reach out to us on our website at any time for a free consultation or if you have any questions or concerns you need answered. Click this link to reach us Symco Injury Law. We are here for you 24/7!

Always remember to practice road safety and stay alert!