Tips for Dealing with Spring Driving Challenges

Winter driving has its challenges—snowy, icy roads, sharing the road with salt trucks and plows, and poor visibility—and unfortunately, the lingering effects of winter weather take a major toll on our roadways, and driving in the spring can be just as challenging. Below are just a few of the headaches we face on the road during this season:

Potholes

Potholes are probably the biggest nuisance when it comes to spring driving, mostly because they can impact our vehicles directly.  Hitting a deep pothole can cause anything from alignment and engine issues to shock and strut or tire rim damage. If you drive on a pothole-riddled road for your daily commute, it will take its toll on your car. Try to find an alternate route to school or work until the road is fixed to minimize your risk of costly damage.

When you’re driving, if you can’t avoid a pothole due to oncoming traffic or another obstacle, try to slow down before you hit it to lessen the stress on your car.  If you suspect damage, pull over as soon as you can do so safely and check your car. Some damage is obvious, like a flat tire. Other issues are less noticeable but can have long-term effects on how your car runs.  If you want to be sure, take your car to your mechanic, explain what happened, and ask for a full inspection. It’s cheaper to pay a bill for a good report than one for costly repairs.

Construction

Whether it’s paving projects, widening roads, line painting, or filling potholes, it’s hard to avoid road construction this time of year.  If you’re aware of construction projects on your daily commute, keep these tips in mind:

·         Give yourself more time. If you absolutely cannot avoid the road you travel to school or work every day, leave at least a few minutes early if you know you’ll be sitting in traffic.

·         Find an alternate route. If the road construction will be going on for weeks or months, find at least one alternate route for your daily drive.

·        Wear your seat belt and keep sunglasses handy. Hopefully wearing your seat belt is second nature, but it’s an important reminder for all of us.  Stop-and-go traffic can cause wear and tear on your vehicle, but it can have unfortunate health consequences on drivers and passengers, as well, so buckle up before getting on the road. Sunglasses are just a good practical item to keep in your car. Squinting miserably in the sun’s glare can make sitting in traffic seem even longer and more uncomfortable.

Flooding

Spring temperatures mean two things: lots of rain and melting snow, which increases the risk of flooding.  Even if you don’t live in a flood zone, you should always take flood warnings seriously.

If you live in flood-prone areas, make sure you’re prepared during heavy rainstorms. Put your belongings on high shelves out of the floodwaters so nothing gets damaged. Be sure your family has an escape plan in case you need to leave your home. (It’s also smart to have a home inventory checklist on file with your insurance agent so you can document anything that’s lost or damaged).

Finally, if you’re driving, avoid flooded roadways. The water may look shallow, but there’s no way to know that unless you try to drive through it, and unfortunately that increases your odds of getting stuck.

What other tips would you add for dealing with spring driving challenges? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!