In Minnesota, the winters can get very serious. You may have weeks or months of driving in relatively heavy snow and ice. This can be very dangerous and increases the risk of accidents.
That said, with care and experience, you can drive safely in the snow. Here are some tips that can help.
Give yourself more time for everything
Leave your house earlier than you think you need to when you go to work. Increase your following distances relative to other vehicles. Just give yourself more time and space to react to everything and drive slowly and carefully.
Focus on careful, smooth movements
Whenever you’re turning, accelerating or hitting the brakes, focus on doing so smoothly and carefully. Make gradual turns. Take your foot off of the gas and let the car slow down on its own, rather than quickly hitting the brakes. If you make any jerky or aggressive movements, it just increases the odds that you will lose control.
Stay calm if you start to slide or spin
When people panic and overcorrect, that’s when they often get into trouble with a slide or a spin on snowy roads. You should just take your foot off of the gas and try to steer into the spin. Often, the car will get through it in just a few seconds.
Seeking compensation
These tips can help you drive safely, but other drivers will still make mistakes and cause accidents. If you suffer serious injuries, you need to know how to seek compensation from the driver who is responsible. This could help to cover your medical bills, any wages that you lost, the cost of ongoing care (if necessary) and much more.