Whether you bought or leased one of our new Honda cars, driving safely in the fall can be more difficult than it is at other times of the year. The leaves that fall from the trees can make roadways as slick as they are when they’re covered with snow and ice. Many chilly autumn mornings are also foggy mornings, particularly in areas near water and spots bordered by trees, hills, or mountains. Back to school traffic can also make driving tricky in the fall.
Because fall presents some season-specific challenges, everyone at our Anderson, IN Honda dealership thought it would be a great idea to provide some tips to help keep you safe behind the wheel. Our first tip is to slow down, especially if you’re driving on a road with wet leaves, you’re in a school zone, or there is a school bus near your automobile.
Additional pieces of advice that can help you drive safely this fall include the following:
· Keep Your Distance: While it’s normally advisable to leave between 4-7 seconds of space between your vehicle and the automobile in front of you, it’s a good idea to increase your following distance in many instances during the fall. On rainy and foggy days, during dawn and dusk, and when you’re traveling on leaf-covered roads are all smart times to reduce your speed.
· Use Your Low Beams: Always use your headlights when it’s rainy or foggy, but use your low beams only. If you use your high beams, it can create a glare which may make it difficult for you to see.
· Remove Frost: It’s not unusual to wake up to frost during the fall in this area. To stay safe, always be sure your field of vision is clear by removing frost from your windows before you leave your current location.
· Clean Your Windshield & Windows: When sunlight hits your car’s glass surfaces, it magnifies the dust particles and smudges on them which can make it difficult for you to see. Make sure your windows and windshield are clean to ensure you can see out of them clearly at all times.
· Check Your Tire Pressure: Since temperatures often fluctuate significantly during the fall, your tires are going to expand and contract regularly. Because this can result in a loss of pressure in your tires, you’ll need to check your tire pressure often during the fall to make sure your tires are inflated properly.
If you’d like more safe driving tips, chat with us online or give us a call. Better yet, schedule a service appointment with Tom Wood Honda so our factory-trained technicians can make sure your vehicle is ready for the challenges that the fall presents today.
