With winter arriving in just a few short weeks, we wanted to provide some fundamental safety tips to help protect against the hazards associated with this season.
Driving in the snow
Driving on wet roads can be challenging on its own, but couple that with freezing temperatures and you may as well be navigating an obstacle course. Follow these tips for driving in the snow to lower your risk of getting into a cold weather-related accident; your car insurance provider in Media, PA will thank you!
- Stay home if you can! No need to endanger yourself and your vehicle if you don’t need to.
- Call 511, 1-877-511-PENN (7366), or visit the 511 Pennsylvania website to check weather conditions before travelling by car.
- Clear snow and ice off of your windshield and back window before you hit the road to ensure that your visibility is not blocked.
- Let someone know where you’re going and bring your cell phone in case you get stuck.
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Snow and ice make the road very slippery, so slamming on the breaks or the accelerator could lead to losing control of your car.
- Reduce your speed and following distance as the weather worsens.
- Avoid cutting quickly in front of trucks, as they need more time to slow down than a car does.
- Bridges freeze before the road does, so be extra careful when driving over them. Alternatively, use a different route and avoid them altogether.
- Do not use cruise control. You need to have as much control over your car as possible in case there is an unexpected slippery spot.
- As always, wear your seat belt!
In the event of a winter storm
Winter storms can last for several days and be potentially dangerous if the correct precautions are not taken. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind if one of these storms hits your area:
- Again, stay inside if you are able. Even walking outside during a winter storm can lead to injuries due to limited visibility, strong winds, and icy conditions.
- Be sure you have plenty of heating fuel beforehand, but conserve it during the storm. Lower your thermostat during the night so that you don’t run low.
- Close off rooms you do not need in order to conserve heat in the rest of the house.
- Wear several layers of loosely-fitting, warm clothing instead of one bulky layer. This will keep you warmer.
- If you must go outside, wear a hat, scarf, and mittens to reduce heat loss.
- Do not bring grills or generators inside your house, as both of these emit carbon monoxide.
Avoid getting sick
Getting sick in the winter can seem inevitable. However, following these quick tips may help you avoid using any sick days this year:
- Get a flu shot. This is the number one way you can avoid being bedridden for a week.
- Avoid touching your face; a study done by the Journal of Occupational Health found that people who touch their eyes and nose are 41% more likely to contract an upper respiratory infection than those who do not.
- Wash your hands! Every surface you touch could contain germs from someone who is sick, and you don’t want these germs getting into your system.
- Get an adequate amount of sleep. If you regularly get less than the 7-9 recommended hours of sleep per night, your chances of becoming ill increase.
- Drink some green tea. This particular tea contains a catechin called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which has been known to fight influenza virus particles. If you’re not a fan of green tea, however, you can use EGCG supplements instead.