Driving on dry roads is very different than driving in wet, icy, or snowy road conditions. It is a lot harder to control or stop your car on slick surfaces. You want to be sure to drive slower in dangerous road conditions so you have enough time to stop for cars, people or objects in front of you. Snow plows on the road can also cause accidents if you are now driving with caution around them. Snow plows make wide turns and stop frequently, allowing them enough room on the road is imperative. It is estimated that 17 percent of all accidents occur in winter.
This graphic from the team at Teletrac Navman provides information on where the most dangerous places to drive in winter are located in the US. The information gathered was from 2019, the first year before the pandemic changed the amount of vehicles on the road. In 2019 there were 7,111 fatal collisions in the US during winter. The most common month for deadly accidents was January and Wyoming had the most fatal collisions with 4.65 per 100,000 people.
Regular tune-ups and maintenance are a good start to safe driving not only in winter but all year. You also want to pay attention to the car battery and coolant which can be affected by extreme temperatures. Putting snow tires on your vehicle is also a good idea if you do not have a 4-wheel drive or all wheel drive car. Even if you are in a location that does not get a lot of snow and ice, you still may be in more danger driving in the winter months.
According to this infographic which was created with data from AARP, census.gov and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the cities with the deadliest accidents during winter are southern cities where snow and ice doesn’t really present a problem.
