Winter Safety Tips

The summer heat is but a memory, December and winter weather are in full swing, and reviewing winter safety tips is a top priority. Like a typical Texas winter season, the weather will fluctuate wildly each week, ranging from comfortable fall weather to bitter cold. Lower temperatures and the threat of frozen precipitation will increase into January and February.

While Texans like to joke about our short winters, the Lone Star State can be the recipient of some serious cold and ice. Strong arctic fronts spell dangerous conditions for the home and roads. Keep yourself and your family safe with these winter safety tips.

Winter Safety At Home

Ice storms, snow and strong winter winds can knock out power to residential properties, creating dangerously cold living conditions. Take the time to review a winter safety plan for your family, house and pets.

• Protect Your home. Wrap exterior pipes with insulation to avoid exposure to the elements. Have your furnace and hot water heater inspected and repaired if needed. Take a Saturday to trim trees back from the roof, clean leafs out of gutters, and check your roof for damage. If you plan to use your chimney, have it inspected and cleaned.
• Protect Your Pets. When the temps drop, bringing pets inside is the best way to protect them. If your animal prefers the outdoors, have a place where they can stay dry and elevated off the cold ground. Keeping pets fed, watered and healthy will help them maintain weight and stamina in colder weather.
• Protect Your Family. Have a winter weather plan. Just like every home needs a fire or emergency plan, a winter storm plan can help your family stay calm. Prepare in advance with extra food, fuel and clothing for the weather. Everyone in your family needs to know the location of extra supplies, blankets and emergency equipment.

Winter Safety On The Road

Winter travel produces dangerous road conditions that require very specific driving skills. Snow and ice doesn’t cover Texas roadways too often, but when it does – you can be prepared with a few safe-driving tips.

• Never warm your vehicle in a closed area like a garage.
• Keep tires properly inflated and a gas tank at least half full.
• Accelerate and decelerate slowly in ice and snow conditions. Stopping takes longer on frozen roadways.
• If you begin to slide, taking your foot off of the brake can help you steer the vehicle and will allow you to re-engage the brake, hopefully to better effect
• Drive slowly. Turning will be more difficult on icy roads.
• Watch for 18-wheelers and big rigs. Icy roads are dangerous and cause large truck accidents
• Avoid driving in the dark if you possibly can. When the sun falls, roads that thawed during the day may ice over again at night. The darkness makes it difficult to see icy patches.

The best plan for winter driving is to stay off the road. Television news and social media outlets can give you the most up-to-date information on road conditions and road closures. If at all possible, stay home until the conditions have improved. If you do leave the house and are involved in a motor vehicle accident, the McKinney car accident attorneys at McCraw Law Group are here to help. The attorneys and staff at McCraw Law Group wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season!