Winter Driving Accidents

Ken Margolin

Contributor

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While the northeast of the country experiences nasty winter weather, from 2 feet of snow to frozen precipitation, it's a good time to remember the added responsibility on anyone who drives in the winter. Most serious highway accidents in winter conditions are the direct result of driver negligence.

The most frequent cause of fatal car crashes in winter is the same as other times of year - speed; in winter weather, going too fast for conditions. Other less obvious causes of winter car crashes have to do with proper maintenance of the car. It is not acceptable to take a rear-wheel drive car into the teeth of a snowstorm, without snow tires. Forgetting to fill the windshield washer tank or driving with a faulty defroster so that the driver can't see clearly through the windshield is obviously negligent. There may be no choice but to drive, even in severe winter weather, but knowing how to do it safely is the driver's obligation.