subject: Winter Driving And Your Mazda- Keeping Safe During The Cold Season [print this page] Your Mazda may handle very well on the road during the spring and summer seasons, but what will it be like once winter comes around? You need to make sure that the winter tires on your vehicle are in tip top shape are up for the snow and ice duty that they will have to contend with.
What else can you do to make sure that you arrive safely at your destination in the wintertime?
Begin stopping your Mazda at least 100 to 200 feet before the spot at which you need to bring the car to a complete halt and/or if you plan to turn. Mixed weather conditions in the winter months can bring about ice-like conditions that make it such that gaining traction can be problematic. To cope with this, prepare to stop before you need to.
When the weather is on the messy side and you have to be out on the road, remember this safety rule of thumb- stay two to three car lengths behind the vehicle that is in front of you. Following too closely is never smart any time of the year, but is particularly unwise during the snow and ice season. If you remain a safe distance behind, you give yourself some space in the event that your Mazda starts sliding around on the road.
Speaking of sliding around on the road, do not try to stop your automobile from doing this a little. If you do, you will be fighting an uphill battle. You will be fighting with the traction control system of the car for control of it. This will lead to overcorrecting the mistake. Let the traction control do what it was designed to do, which is to guide you and allow you to drive slower in slippery conditions. Give your vehicle the room it needs to do what it needs to do.
Do not even think of using your cell phone when you are driving in inclement weather. The same goes for answering it when you are driving. If you are waiting for an important call or absolutely have to make a call before you get where you are going, find a safe place to pull over and then proceed to make your call. If you drive while talking (or texting for that matter) you will cause worry the person on the other end of the line. This will lead you to have less confidence in your own driving ability. Skill and confidence both matter when you are behind the wheel of your Mazda in bad weather. Save the talk for when you are not in a moving vehicle.
During a snowstorm, do not turn onto any side roads or any roads that you are not familiar with. Stick to the main thoroughfare. After the roads and highways have been cleared following the storm, you can venture onto secondary roads. In the meantime, keep yourself and your Mazda safe and protected by remaining on the well-traveled routes.
