Snow and Ice are a dangerous combination when driving

Time to review your snow and ice skills for driving.  Please take the time to read and Please Drive Safe!

Click HERE and enjoy some music while reading.  
It looks like we are in for some long snowy days...and right before Christmas.  I have brought these tips to you before but I wanted to share them again.  If you can stay home, please do.  If you can't please drive safe!

• You don't have a garage and your car is parked outside at night.  It snows.  Ready for this odd tip:  Turn your temperature to hot, turn on your air conditioner (fresh air option) and set it on defrost.  This will help remove any condensation from the interior of your windshield.
• Remove snow from your head and taillights.  Those are there for your safety and they won't help you if they are covered with snow.

You are driving on ice:

• For those of use who grew up with antilock breaks we learned to pump our breaks.  Now cars do it for us.  When you are sliding and you press your antilock breaks you will feel the brake system pump for you.  This only works if you "stomp" on the break and gradually ease up on the break.
• The dreaded "black ice."  Keep this in mind:  if it looks slick chances are it probably is.  It is better to be prepared for black ice and not have it than have it and not be ready.
• Know where you are driving.  You drive to work, school, store all the time.  Pay attention.  Know where the areas on these roads tend to be worse than others and avoid those areas. 
• If you do start to slide do not overturn.  Remember if you are sliding your tires do not have control so over turning will just face the car into the direction the tires are facing....which in a panic situation could be oncoming traffic.  Stay calm and don't overturn.  Slowly turn your wheels in the direction in which you want to go.
• If you have a four wheel drive....understand that your four wheel drive is no safer on the ice than any other vehicle.  Think about it...you slide because your tires do not have control.  All wheel drive, four wheel drive will often give the driver a sense of "security" which will often lead to an accident.

I know you don't want to think about icy roads, snow and what winter brings.  But every vechicle has someone in there that is loved.  When each of us drives safely than we are doing our part to keep loved ones with us.

Do you have any driving tips for ice and snow you would like to share?

Like Zeisler & Associates, Attorney at Law, PC on Facebook or visit their website.

Pueblo Office: 113 W. 12th Street  (Map it)

Colorado Springs Office:  422 E. Vermijo Ave., Suite 412 (Map it)

Car Accidents because of winter weather conditions

Let's face it...we all want the 90 degree weather, clear sky cruising down the highway with the top down on the convertible.  For those who live in climates that allow this year round we envy you.  But for those who don't live there or for those who love the snow it's time to pull out the winter coats and remember how to drive in winter weather.

We need to be more careful driving in the winter as the weather conditions can and often lead to a car accident.  

Please watch this short video on driving in winter conditions.

This video is made up of a few short, non-injury accidents but shows how a winter conditions will affect everyone.

Just to get into the mood of cold, snow and ice click this video and come back and read while listening.

The first snow of the year is usually the most dangerous.  We "forget" how to drive on snow and ice. We are a society that is rushing everywhere we go...time is money, right?

If you are one of the cautious drivers good for you but remember you will not always determine whether you are in a car accident.  Defensive driving is essential this time of year as there will always be some that disregard the winter conditions.  Those who are inexperienced driving on snow and ice, those who think it will never happen to them and those who think because they have a four wheel drive they won't slide are dangerous to us all.

• "as usual essex county council state we are ready for the bad weather stock piles of grit to be call on in climate weather 3 nights of frost 1 motor cyclist dead due to black ice 1st fall of snow yes the council were ready for this not crashes cars and hgvs stuck traffic ground to a halt were were the gritters i was on the road at 6-15 am this morning got as far as the witham turn off on the A12 turned round headed back towards southend on sea the first gritter i saw was on the A 127 at 8-45 am yep they were ready after the horse hasbolted again .i bet on think for certain than in april the spare room tax is nicely in place and there wont be any delays with that . once again well done essex county council" (Echo)
• Indianapolis, Ind.
A quick burst of overnight snowfall and icy roads in Central Indiana resulted in dozens of accidents Monday morning.
Indiana State Police estimate approximately 60 accidents occured Monday. On an average day, police estimate approximately 20 to 30 accidents. Among the multiple overnight crashes around the Indianapolis area, crews were investigating a fatal single-vehicle accident on the south side of the city.
Just after 3 a.m. Monday, police said the driver of a black SUV apparently slid out of the northbound lanes of I-65, on the bridge passing over I-465.
The SUV hit a guard rail, throwing the male driver out onto the highway.
Three passengers in the car suffered injuries, including a broken leg, cuts and back pain.
Police said the car was from Wisconsin and the driver was a man, likely in his 30’s.

When an accident happens because of inclement weather it is often difficult to prove fault.  Whether is was a single car accident (meaning you slid into a tree) or a multi-car accident your case will come down to who has the most plausible excuse.  Black ice is one of the examples of a plausible excuse as there is usually no warning of black ice.  What is not an excuse is traveling too fast for the conditions...remember the speed limit is for good weather conditions not snow and ice.

Your best weapon in these types of situation is a police report.  Before you drive in inclement weather know what your police department is wanting you to do.  In some situations if there are no injuries and no alcohol and/or drugs involved they want you to exchange information and report it within 48 hours.

You absolute best weapon after a car accident is to call an experienced Attorney!  Insurance companies want to deny your claim and will look for any reason to do so.  Don't let that happen to you!

Please drive safe no matter what the condition but pay extra attention during the snow and ice.  If you are in Colorado and have been involved in a car accident please call Carol Zeisler:

Like Zeisler & Associates, Attorney at Law, PC on Facebook or visit their website.

Pueblo Office: 113 W. 12th Street  (Map it)

Colorado Springs Office:  422 E. Vermijo Ave., Suite 412 (Map it)

Driving on snow and ice

You wake up and it has snowed:

• You don't have a garage and your car is parked outside at night.  It snows.  Ready for this odd tip:  Turn your temperature to hot, turn on your air conditioner (fresh air option) and set it on defrost.  This will help remove any condensation from the interior of your windshield.
• Remove snow from your head and taillights.  Those are there for your safety and they won't help you if they are covered with snow.

You are driving on ice:

• For those of use who grew up with antilock breaks we learned to pump our breaks.  Now cars do it for us.  When you are sliding and you press your antilock breaks you will feel the brake system pump for you.  This only works if you "stomp" on the break and gradually ease up on the break.
• The dreaded "black ice."  Keep this in mind:  if it looks slick chances are it probably is.  It is better to be prepared for black ice and not have it than have it and not be ready.
• Know where you are driving.  You drive to work, school, store all the time.  Pay attention.  Know where the areas on these roads tend to be worse than others and avoid those areas. 
• If you do start to slide do not overturn.  Remember if you are sliding your tires do not have control so over turning will just face the car into the direction the tires are facing....which in a panic situation could be oncoming traffic.  Stay calm and don't overturn.  Slowly turn your wheels in the direction in which you want to go.
• If you have a four wheel drive....understand that your four wheel drive is no safer on the ice than any other vehicle.  Think about it...you slide because your tires do not have control.  All wheel drive, four wheel drive will often give the driver a sense of "security" which will often lead to an accident.

I know you don't want to think about icy roads, snow and what winter brings.  But every vechicle has someone in there that is loved.  When each of us drives safely than we are doing our part to keep loved ones with us.

Do you have any driving tips for ice and snow you would like to share?


Like Zeisler & Associates, Attorney at Law, PC on Facebook or visit their website.

Pueblo Office: 113 W. 12th Street  (Map it)

Colorado Springs Office:  422 E. Vermijo Ave., Suite 412 (Map it)