Driving your car in the winter is a truly unique challenge. Research shows that almost 50 percent of car accidents due to bad weather occur in the slush or snow of winter. To keep you safe for winter car driving, here are some common mistakes to watch out for.

Not Maintaining Safe Distance
Traction is a major issue while driving in the winter. Remember that your car will take longer to change lanes and to stop. So, it’s important to maintain more than adequate distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. Not maintaining this distance can cause an accident.

Not Keeping an Emergency Kit
The winter is unpredictable, and if there is some kind of abrupt weather change, you may find yourself stuck for long hours in traffic. In such a situation, you would need to be prepared. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is forgetting to keep emergency supplies in your vehicle in such situations. These emergency supplies can include anything from warm blankets to first aid kits, flares, water, and even jumper cables.

Not Focusing on Visibility
Remember that in the winters, visibility is tougher than usual. So, even if you head out for a drive in the daytime, you should always switch on your headlights. Not switching on your headlights may result in an accident as an oncoming vehicle may not be able to see your vehicle. In addition, experts recommend many other handy tips to increase visibility. For example, always use your indicating lights when you change lanes. Also, remember that you can lightly tap your brakes twice for the backlights to flash. This would help indicate any vehicle behind you of your presence. You should also remember to use the hazard lights whenever necessary.

Speeding on Snowy Roads
This may sound like an obvious piece of data, but the winter season has recorded many accidents due to speeding. So, make sure that you drive within the speed limits or even slower if necessary. It is extremely important to drive within the speed limits if the roads are wet and snowy. Not following the speed limit can endanger your life as well as the lives of those around you.

Wearing Heavy Snow Boots While Driving
We usually start wearing our heavy snow boots once the winter season starts. While they are very useful in walking along the snow-clad pathways, it is not a good idea to go for a drive in them. Heavy snow boots are deep, and with such boots, you can possibly make the mistake of stepping on the gas instead of the brake. This is considered to be one of the most common winter car driving mistakes. To avoid making this mistake, you should carry an extra set of shoes to drive.