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Avoiding a Winter-Time Disaster

By January 11, 2022Car Sense
Avoiding a winter-time disaster

Winter poses many threats to an individual’s well-being. During the holidays, we’re often so busy rushing around we take dangers for granted. In the cold, we also often want to get out of it so quickly we lose sight of precaution! So today, here are some tips to help you avoid catastrophe or a winter-time disaster.

Driving in winter

The roads around the DMV are already packed and rushing, full of stress and construction. Winter often takes this already high level of risk and multiplies it substantially. With winter comes black ice, a layer of ice mixed with oils and residue from the road that is near invisible and dangerously slick. Snow, ice, and sleet can reduce visibility and make navigating more difficult. And as mentioned before, the cold can often tempt people to drive faster to escape the bitterness. Each year in Maryland alone, thousands of accidents occur during winter due to these factors, and hundreds of them are fatal. Don’t drive reckless to escape the cold and keep your eyes on the weather!

Self-care in winter

Your house still needs tending to, but it’s frigid and unpleasant outside. If you’re stubborn like many, you’ve gone outside in some very inhospitable weather to try and get a quick repair done or cleaning job. While shoveling and scraping during snow is sometimes necessary, we urge you to take care of yourself before your possessions and home first. Exposure to very cold environments and cold rain, ice, and snow are very bad for your health and can be quite dangerous. Be sure to hold off if the outside environment is too threatening!

Home care in winter

Continuing with the subject of your health but facing a different threat, outdoor cleaning/care in the winter can be a real hassle-and a painful serious one if we’re not careful. Ladders can be rickety on the best days, but in winter they can hold moisture or gather ice and snow like anything else. If you’re considering going up on a ladder in the middle of snow or rain, we certainly would hope you’d reconsider! A slip and/or serious fall can result much easier in these conditions and being up on a ladder only increases the chance of serious injury. The same goes for your driveway, deck, and outdoor areas. And the previously mentioned black ice? That’s just as much a threat to you when you’re crossing a street or walking across your driveway!

When it comes to avoiding a winter-time disaster, patience and a keen eye are key! We hope these tips will help make your winter a little safer. For more tips see our other articles.