Driving at a safe and consistent speed
Is easily one of the most important road safety rules to follow, whether you are in inclement weather or not. Regardless of the skill of individual drivers, going above the speed limit, even in ideal road conditions, can be extremely dangerous at best and life threatening at worst, for both you and your fellow drivers.
At high speeds
It becomes easier to lose control of your vehicle, and it becomes inversely harder to make split-second decisions because of a lack of distance to react and move over in response. When driving in inclement weather, this lack of control and difficulty only become heightened by a general lack of visibility, so it becomes incredibly important to all drivers in harsh weather to slow down as to increase their chances of arriving safely to their destination.
When driving in inclement weather, be it snow, or rain, or even a hailstorm, the through line that all these different types of weather share is a lack of control over your vehicle directly caused by a lack of traction on the road. If you lose control, then you won’t be able to consistently react to other drivers, or to hazardous situations on the road itself.
In addition, it can be deceptively easy for drivers to lose control in such conditions, as drivers often underestimate the severity of conditions on the road and drive as they normally would as if there were no inclement weather, which leads them to being unable to react and move over if stopped vehicles are obstructing their lane, or if there are fallen trees or other hazards.
Adding on to all that, it is important for drivers to remember that most states have some form of ‘Move Over’ law, which requires drivers move one lane over if they see flashing amber lights on emergency vehicles, and necessitates they slow down if unable to immediately move over.
‘Slow Down, Move Over’
Laws are not only in effect during harsh weather, you must always comply with any ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ regulations. However, following the ‘Slow Down, Move Over’ guidance becomes even more important due to the rough conditions of the road.
So, with all that in mind, what can we do?
It is always better to lower your chances of being in an accident than it is to try and react to accidents as they occur. With that in mind, slowing down and/or moving over are great first steps toward SAFER driving in inclement weather. Driving at slower, safer speeds can give you much needed time to react to dangerous hazards as possible.
Additionally, make sure when approaching a stationary vehicle with flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights activated, to carefully slow down and fully move over into an open lane. If a motorist cannot safely ‘Move Over’, the driver must slow down below the posted speed limit, and then pass with extreme caution, always ensuring that the authorized vehicle has as much space as possible.
You too can be a SAFER Driver, just remember, if you see any emergency on the road, it is as straightforward as ‘Slow Down, Move Over’.
