Mississippi is known for mild winters, but in the past few years we’ve experienced uncharacteristically cold weather. The Mississippi car accident attorneys at Richard Schwartz and Associates of Mississippi know this presents a unique problem to the citizens of our great state. Cold weather and rain can create icy roadways and unsafe driving conditions, an issue Mississippians aren’t normally prepared for. Today, we’ve compiled a list of safety tips that can help you to remain safe this winter.

Be aware of Black Ice. Black ice is a term used to describe very thin layers of ice sometimes found on roads in winter months. The ice is almost transparent, and can easily be mistaken for the glare of the sun on a roadway. However, driving over this ice at high speeds can cause your vehicle to lose traction and spin out. The best way to avoid a spinout is to drive slowly and cautiously. If you see black ice on the roadway, try to avoid it if you can do so safely.

Drive slowly through turns and curves. One of the most common winter driving mistakes is taking a curve or turn too quickly, especially if there is ice or water on the roadway. Speeding through a curve can be deadly, as it can cause your vehicle to lose traction and spin out. The best thing to do in a spinout is to maintain your steering position. The gut reaction to a spinout is a sharp turn of the steering wheel in the opposite direction. However, this can make the spinout worse. The best possible solution is to take your foot off both the gas and brake, and hold your steering position until you regain traction.

Maintain your lights and clean your windshield. Low visibility is commonplace in icy road conditions. Always make sure your lights function properly. Using your lights on icy roadways can help you identify black ice and avoid it. Also, maintaining a clean windshield can help in identifying black ice, as well as spotting other traffic. A cloudy windshield could result in a serious car wreck if you’re not careful. Always, at the very least, maintain these two things to maintain safety on icy roadways.

Never use cruise control in icy weather conditions. Cruise control is one of the many luxuries to which we are accustomed in newer vehicles. However, using cruise control where there is the possibility of ice is very dangerous. For cruise control to release you must tap the brake, and when you’re skidding out, tapping the break can be deadly. Always save cruise control for appropriate and clear driving conditions.

Icy roadways are very dangerous, and a car wreck in this situation can be deadly. At Richard Schwartz and Associates of Mississippi we urge Mississippians to remain conscious of icy roadways. Even though our seasons are usually mild, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

In the unfortunate event that you or a loved one is involved in a serious car wreck that you feel was not your fault; call the Mississippi personal injury attorneys at Richard Schwartz and Associates of Mississippi. We have locations across the state, and are standing by to assist you. Call us today at 601-988-8888 for a free and confidential consultation.