Driving too fast for icy conditions is the number one cause of accidents during Oklahoma 's inclement weather. Slow down. Plan for an earlier departure and take your time getting to your destination. It's usually the car that zooms by you during icy conditions that you see in a ditch a few miles down the road.
Be alert! Look ahead. Watching the traffic pattern ahead of you will give you more time react. Also, pay more attention to the vehicles in your rear-view mirrors. Always consider a way out in case you need to maneuver quickly.
Control. If you need to stop suddenly on icy roads and your vehicle is equipped with Anti-lock Brakes, you depress the brake pedal and hold it down firmly. You could hear a grinding or roaring noise coming from the front of your car. This normal. That is the ABS module pumping your brakes for you to keep your vehicle stopping in a straight line. If your vehicle is not equipped with ABS, you will need to pump your brake pedal repeatedly while bringing your vehicle to a stop. If you are unsure whether your vehicle is equipped with Anti-lock brakes, just call you service advisor and they will be able to tell you over the phone whether your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, or not. Try to avoid using cruise control while the roads are icy. Cruise control will apply acceleration when your car begins to slow down. Cruise Control does not know the roads are icy and could accelerate your vehicle into a spin. 4 Wheel Drive is very handy during icy conditions.4 Wheel Drive will help you get your vehicle moving on slick roads, BUT it can build over-confidence in drivers. A 4 Wheel Drive vehicle does not stop any better on slick roads. Actually, most 4WD's are heavier and take much longer to stop on slick roads.
Be Prepared! When Winter Weather hits Green Country, sometimes we get little warning and can find ourselves stuck on the side of the road during a snow or ice event. Put together a simple bag to carry in your trunk or behind your seat for a situation like this. That bag needs to have additional warm clothing or blankets, a pair of gloves, a flash light with fresh batteries, a small shovel or item that can move snow away from your exhaust pipe (i.e. cookie sheet or small frying pan), a cell phone charger or extra battery, De-icer from your local auto parts store, jumper cables, a can of fix a flat, ice scraper, a bottle of water and few energy bars or breakfast bars. The reason we want you to be prepared for a long stay is because we have seen the tow truck companies get back logged during ice events upwards of six hours.
Get ahead of the Rush. When the forecast calls for severe Winter Weather, we see a surge in appointments for customers wanting their vehicle inspected for winter preparedness. Winter comes every year. It's a good idea to beat the crowd and have your vehicle inspected by your service department prior to any Winter Weather event.
In Case of an Accident:
Documentation. With icy roads in Tulsa comes "Operation Slick Streets". This program is activated when Tulsa Police are only responding to injury accidents in the Metro due to the volume of accidents and the inclement conditions. If you are involved in non-injury accident documentation of the scene and witnesses is crucial for the Insurance companies to assign liability. A disposable or digital camera to take pictures of the scene and the condition of the vehicle(s) is very valuable to your Insurance Company. Use the camera to take photos of the vehicles but also take photos of the tag numbers of the witnesses that may have stopped to check on everyone. These witnesses will be very important when the Insurance companies are trying to sort out who is at fault. Get the phone numbers (work, home and cell) of all the witnesses to the accident. Exchange information with the other party. Take a photo of the other party's driver's license to insure you get all the pertinent information. Also take a photo of the other party's tag number just in case. You can pick up an Operation Slick Streets Accident from at any local Quick Trip.
Is my vehicle drivable? After the accident, it is always best to have a tow company tow your vehicle to the Body Shop. Just because your vehicle looks ok that doesn't mean that it is safe to drive. Blown airbags, the tire and wheel are now sitting funny in the wheel well, broken headlights, seatbelts not retracting like they used too, fluid leaks but my car is not overheating are all reasons to have the car towed instead of trying to drive it. Driving the car after an accident could cause additional damages. Insurance Companies can hold you responsible for any additional damages that are incurred due to driving the car after the accident.
I'm just stuck in the snow and this guy came by and offered to pull me out. We have seen more damage from improper connections to vehicles while attempting to extract a car stuck in the snow. If someone hooks a tow strap or a chain to the wrong part under the car it could ruin your entire suspension. We have seen improper connections tear floor pans out of vehicles and the vehicle was considered a safety total loss. Proceed with Caution when someone offers to pull you out.
Single Car accidents. The majority of accidents during icy roads are single car accidents. If this happens to you, consider your safety first. Realize if you are on the side of the road that is icy slick, who's to say you are the only car that is going to slide off the road and hit the guardrail. If you feel like it is absolutely necessary that you stay with the vehicle, stay inside the vehicle. The sooner you make contact with a tow company the faster you go on the list of people waiting. Remember, you have your winter weather bag with you so you will be ok while you wait! Stay inside the car, turn on your hazards and start your car every ten minutes and let it idle for a minute or two always monitoring the amount of snow around your exhaust pipe. Those gases can be dangerous so keep the snow and ice clear of the exhaust pipe while you wait on help to arrive. Wear your seatbelt even if your car is not moving. It is designed to keep you in place in case another car loses control and hits your vehicle on the side of the road.
