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Driving in winter conditions

On Behalf of | Dec 6, 2017 | Car Accidents

Many Pennsylvania motorists know that driving in winter conditions can be a daunting task. Driving on snow is far different than driving on regular asphalt. As such, people who drive in snow must have a different way of handling the wheel and pedals.

Part of the problem is that snow and ice make a road extremely slippery, meaning the tires cannot get traction or a grip on the surface of the road, potentially resulting in a winter car accident. Further, the decreased temperatures that occur during winter also can have an effect on the tires themselves. For example, scientists use the term “coefficient of friction” to show how much available grip an object has. Zero typically means that an object has no grip while one is the highest amount of available grip. One normal roads, a properly maintained tire has a coefficient of friction of about one. This number drops to 0.7 on wet roads and 0.15 on snow. When it comes to ice, the coefficient of friction is just 0.08.

For those who regularly drive in snow, upgrading to snow tires can help. Snow tires have a deeper tread that is designed to cut through snow to reach the road below. Further, the rubber that actually makes up the tread is engineered to better grip the asphalt on the road when the temperatures drop.

Drivers who fail to take caution when operating their vehicle during the winter may potentially be at risk for causing car accidents. If a person is injured in a car crash that was caused by another driver’s failure to operate his or her vehicle in a safe manner, an attorney can often assist in attempting to negotiate a settlement with the at-fault motorist’s insurer.

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