Safe Driving Tips for the Autumn Months

Fall is finally here, bringing the promise of Halloween, crisp, cool weather, and beautiful changing leaves. It’s a time to get excited for the shifting seasons and the end of the year! It’s also a time, however, to be paying a bit of extra attention while you’re on the road. Each season brings its own unique set of driving challenges, and autumn is no exception. There are some hazards specific to this time of year that you’ll need to be looking out for on your daily drives, so here are some of the ones to keep in mind!
Children
It’s back to school season, which means that after a summer of getting used to emptier roads, the sidewalks and streets are going to be flooded with kids going to and from school again. This is something to be hyper-aware of while you’re driving, especially in the morning and afternoon during school pickup and dropoff times. Make sure to drive slowly in school zones, be prepared for kids to dart into the road unexpectedly, and never pass a school bus that stopped with its stop sign out– even if you’re on the other side of the street!
Animals
Fall is a time when wildlife is especially active as the animals prepare for the winter months, and even the smallest ones can cause trouble. Swerving to avoid hitting a squirrel can be a recipe for an accident, and hitting a deer can cause serious damage to your car and potentially result in major injuries for you. Be sure to always be keeping an eye on both sides of the road for any animals, and slow down if you see one!
Leaves
Wet leaves are a major hazard on the road. Driving over them is a sure way to lose traction and find yourself slipping out of control. For this reason, it’s best to avoid driving over patches of leaves altogether– even if they look dry. It’s possible to have a dry layer of leaves on top of a pile while the underneath is wet and dangerous, so keep away from patches of leaves while you’re on the road!
Sunlight
It’s not just the time of the sunset that changes in the fall– it’s the angle of the sun as well. The lower angle of the sun in the fall and winter months means that glare off of buildings, car hoods, and other objects is a lot more intense at this time of year. To combat the problem, it’s a good idea to make sure you always have a pair of sunglasses on hand. It’s also important to keep your windshield nice and clean. Any streaks will reduce your visibility– something you can’t afford during the fall!

There’s one more thing that’s good to do for your vehicle and your safety at this time of year, and that’s to get your car serviced before the winter comes with ice and snow. If you’re due for a servicing appointment, you can easily schedule one online with our service center today!