Tips on How to Drive Safe in Winter

With winter upon us and winter weather conditions around the corner, driving on roads covered in snow and ice is imminent. The team at Hawk Subaru is here to help provide some helpful tips on how to drive safely once the temperature drops and road conditions worsen properly.

When bad weather hits and Chicagoland is dealing with snow-covered roads, it’s always safest to stay off the roadway. However, if you don’t have a choice and need to get somewhere, here are some driving tips for safe driving in Chicago:

• Always wear a seat belt. And put down the devices. It’s the law.
• Slow down. Driver slower. Accelerate slowly. And brake slower.
• Avoid using cruise control in snow & sleet conditions.
• Beware of black ice. Consider taking public transportation.
• Prepare an emergency kit with jumper cables, an ice scraper, a snow shovel, an extra gas tank, blankets, food, and a first aid kit.
• Have snow tires installed, ensure your tires are properly inflated, have your brake system inspected, and replace worn-down wiper blades.

Along with these tips, AAA and the Illinois Department of Transportation suggest increasing your following distance by five or six seconds to give ample time to brake or prepare for defensive driving, avoid unnecessary lane changes, and during a skid, keep your eyes on the road and don’t jam on the brake pedal.

Subaru takes safety seriously. The Illinois Institute of Highway Safety has called the 2022 Subaru Outback and 2022 Subaru Ascent the two safest SUVs on the road today. Along with those two models, every other Subaru comes standard with many safety features that helped name 6 models to the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ and the TOP SAFETY PICK lists.

Visit Hawk Subaru in Plainfield to learn more about how driving a Subaru is the safest way to get around Chicagoland this winter.