Injury Law Group Blog

Fall Driving Tips

Personal Injury Law

One of the most enjoyed seasons by all Canadians is fall. It’s the perfect weather to take a cruise in your car to enjoy the scenery. However, unpredictable weather conditions lead to driving challenges.  

Here are eight tips on how to deal with it:

• Be cautious of leaves. Although beautiful to the eye, leaves present a major safety concern. Leaves on the roadway especially when wet, can cause vehicles to slip and slide all over the road. Sometimes even being as slippery as ice. Use the same caution as you would in icy conditions and stay clear of any piles of leaves on the roadway.
• Don’t let the sun blind you. Be sure to wear high-quality sunglasses and adjust sun visors accordingly to prevent glare. It would also be beneficial to keep your windshield clean, as dirty windshields can intensify the glare.
• Prepare for less daylight. As hours of daylight decrease, your time driving in dark conditions will increase. Be sure that all lights are working properly on your vehicle. As vehicles age, the headlight covers become hazy. It would be beneficial to have them cleaned and polished. Also, be sure to double check that your lights are on at all times.
• Watch for children. School is back in session. This means you must pay extra attention when driving through a school zone. As daylight reduces, it will become increasingly hard to see children going to and coming from school, so be cautious.
• Look out for cyclists, pedestrians and animals. As temperatures begin to decrease, it’s perfect weather for people to take a walk, go jogging or go on a bike ride. Not only that, wildlife becomes more prevalent as temperatures decrease. Be wary of your surroundings and watch for any pedestrians or animals that may come out of nowhere.
• Be prepared for frost and ice. As fall progresses into winter, overnight temperatures tend to drop drastically. These conditions are ideal for creating frost on vehicles, as well as, black ice on roadways. Be extra cautious of this when driving in areas where black ice may be present, and take the extra time in the morning to warm your vehicle up and be rid of the frost.
• Adjust for fog or rain. When fall arrives you can almost guarantee there will be rain and fog, so be sure to adjust your driving accordingly. Reduce your speed to correspond with the reduced visibility and give yourself enough space in-between the car in front of you to give you more time to react if needed. Be sure to turn your fog lights on, if your vehicle is equipped. In rainy conditions, be careful of puddles and flooding that can cause your vehicle to hydroplane, and prepare yourself for reduced visibility.
• Prepare your vehicle for winter. Winter in Canada can happen at any time, so it’s important to get yourself prepared sooner rather than later. Once temperatures hit a low of seven degrees Celsius, it’s recommended that you put winter tires on all four wheels, not just two. Additionally, it’s also a good idea that you perform the necessary maintenance such as an oil change and checking all fluid levels.

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