October 21, 2021

Are you and your teen-driving winter-driving ready?

The winters this year are going to be tougher than before. Experts have already predicted extreme conditions for the winters 2021-2022 due to a meteorological effect called 'La Niña,' which will make the upcoming winters stormy for the most part. The coast will be windy and is likely to receive lots of rainfall; overall, the winters will be extra harsh. Western coastal regions are about to face the most unforgiving winter so far since the 2013-2014 season, and back then, the days did not get any warmer than 30° C. In the east, conditions will be better, but in any case, "the winter is coming," and we must all be ready for it.

We didn't mean to scare you all straight with the Game of Thrones reference, but it won't be nice, and we wanted it to sound just as intense. Also, a special call-out to all the parents of teenage drivers – winter driving is very different than summer driving, and many young drivers don't have the experience or confidence to handle the harsh road conditions. Let's give them the tools and tips so they can become safe, confident drivers year-round.

Driving safety is one of the utmost concerns during the winters season, and in this article, we will discuss how you can prepare well for the challenges of the chills to better keep yourself and your new/teen driver safe on the roads during winters. Remember, an ounce of precaution is worth more than a ton of cure – there is no excuse for you to ignore preparing your ride for the winters because accidents don't come with a foreboding. Read on to find out what you can do to survive the upcoming cold season on the roads.

Use A Cloud-Based Dash Cam

Driving with confidence in all weather and road conditions should be on the top of your list – if it is not already – getting a dashcam is not optional if you value the safety of your vehicle and yourself. Negligence accidents are pretty common on the roads, even in general. Still, with poorer road visibility, slipperiness, and a usual sense of rush created by the chilly winters, car crashes become all the more likely in this season. The perfect antidote to this trouble is a dashcam installation which will allow you to review footage in case of a rear-ending or a hit-and-run so that you can bring the responsible party to pay for the damages.

Of course, not all Cloud-enabled dashcams are the same. And if you are looking for an always-connected Cloud dash cam, we strongly recommend the BlackVue DR750-2CH LTE Plus Cloud Dash Cam. BlackVue and Thinkware make the best Cloud-ready dash cams, but the Thinkware U1000 and the BlackVue DR900X Plus still rely on an external hotspot device. The BlackVue DR750-2CH LTE Plus, on the other hand, comes with a built-in LTE module. All you need is an active SIM card, and the dash cam is connected to the Cloud anytime, anywhere. The DR750X-2CH LTE Plus is a Full HD dash cam, so naturally, it will be an economical alternative to the 4K U1000 or DR900X Plus.

Benefits of the Cloud? Not only can you review the footage whenever you need it, but you can also remote live view and real-time GPS-track the vehicle. Suppose the vehicle is involved in an accident. In that case, you can tap into the Cloud from your smartphone and assess the damage and use the 2-way communication feature to assist - a super-handy feature if this is your new/teen driver's first winter on the road, alone.

Replace The Batteries If Needed

Batteries need to be often replaced in the winters because regular batteries can't stand the excesses of the chilly atmosphere. Plus, batteries tend to dry out faster since cars are subjected to more significant work stress in extreme temperatures. Just be sure to have your car batteries inspected for any signs of damage, and if it turns out that they are damaged, have them replaced as soon as possible. Using a dedicated battery pack like the BlackboxMyCar PowerCell 8 Dash Cam Battery Pack for your dashcam will help take any unnecessary load off your car battery, keeping it in better shape for when you need it most.

Check The Tire Pressure Regularly

Deflated tires wear out faster, which is a common issue during the winters, even if your tires don't appear to be in this state. The air pressure can drop inside them due to the cold and thus put more stress on the car engine and the tires themselves. Therefore, a general rule of thumb is to check the tire pressure every week to see if it is in good shape and optimize the pressure if that is not the case.

Get Tires Suited For The Winters

Regular tires usually don't perform very well in the winters because of the challenging traction, the cold environments, slipperiness, and whatnot. Your best bet would be to get tires dedicated to providing better handling on the winter roads, resist wear due to the extreme weather, and perform optimally even in the cold. Plus, winter compatible tires have a much shorter stopping distance which allows for much safer driving, and their uncompromising traction, even on wet or icy surfaces, is a major sell. If you do plan on buying dedicated winter tires, make sure that the product you go for offers, or rather guarantees, effectiveness in all of these areas.

Some Extra Tips

Besides what we have discussed already, here are a couple of more things to take care of:

Use winter compatible fluids (or add anti-freeze to your) brake hydraulics and windshield mechanisms.
It is advisable to use winter washer fluid during the cold seasons to avoid freezing.
Check your tires for any signs of wear.
Replace worn-out tires immediately, preferably before the first frost.
If your old wiper blades are not in perfect shape, replace them.
Keep your gas tank at least 1/2 full. The problem is not running out of gas, but rather condensation - those beads of water in the gas tank can eventually lead to corrosion in the gas tank and engine, or worse, frozen fuel lines.

Bottom Line

Hopefully, the recommendations and tips we have shared in this article will inspire you to observe safety precautions in the upcoming season. Remember that the risk is very real, and it always pays to be prepared beforehand for such trouble. The idea behind writing this article was to create a better sense of responsibility for all of our readers and spread awareness in general. Don't be another statistic – your life is the most precious thing in this world, and there are so many smiles associated with it – be safe and cautious for yourself and those you love.