Driving is one of the most dangerous things you do on a frequent basis. Many factors can impact the hazards of the road, especially the weather. Though many people may know the various techniques for driving in the rain, most people are caught off guard when they have to deal with Driving in Utah’s Strong Winds. Windy weather can occur whether it’s bright or overcast outside.

Keep Both Hands on the Wheel

It can be difficult to control a car that is being blown about by the wind. Don’t try to drive with just one hand. Ensure that both hands are firmly gripping the wheel whenever you are driving in poor weather conditions.

Pay Attention

Don’t allow yourself to be distracted when you are driving in particularly windy weather. Not only can the wind affect the trajectory of your vehicle, but it can also blow objects and debris into the road in front of you. Pay attention to where the other vehicles around you are, as well.

Avoid Driving Next to Semis

Semis are often the most affected vehicles on the road when it is windy outside. Their broader surface area gives the wind more hold. Make sure that you give them plenty of space when you are driving in windy conditions.

Don’t Speed

Weather can affect your reaction time. It can also unexpectedly limit visibility. Try to refrain from speeding if the weather conditions are bad. In fact, you may want to drive under the speed limit.

Park in an Open Area

Once you have safely arrived at your destination, try to park in an open area that is away from trees or power lines. The last thing you want is to come back out to a damaged vehicle.

Even if the road conditions are poor, insurance companies may consider a failure to follow these tips as “unreasonable” driving. If you or a loved one has been injured by a reckless driver, you should seek legal representation. To obtain superior counsel, contact us at LeBaron & Jensen today!

Logically, it would seem that hands-free devices are safer to use while driving, especially when compared to texting. When you’re texting, you have your hands off the wheel and your eyes off the road. Hands-free driving only uses your voice, so it’s safer right? Wrong.

Mental Distraction

Talking on the phone is a mental distraction. It delays response times by a significant amount. Studies have shown that it doesn’t matter if you are physically using the phone or not. Listening to the phone, processing that information, and then speaking on the phone can decrease the brain’s ability to process images by up to 1/3. It can cause drivers to overlook up to 50% of their surroundings! How many accidents would you get into if you only saw half of the cars on the road? The Mythbusters have done a study concerning this and have obtained the same results.

Safer than Talking to Passengers?

Is talking on a hand-free device safer than talking to passengers in the car? After all, you’re still holding a conversation and you may take your eyes off the road to look at the other person. Actually, it is much safer to talk to someone else in your vehicle. This is because a passenger provides an extra set of eyes. They will also be watching the road and can alert the driver to possible hazards.

The bottom line is that hands-free devices are no safer to use while driving than physically texting on your phone. Many studies have even shown that texting or talking on the phone is more dangerous than drunk driving! Refrain from using phones at any time while driving. Whatever you need your phone for, it can wait. If you or a loved one has been in an accident caused by another’s distracted driving, you may need to seek legal representation. Contact us at LeBaron & Jensen today!