{"id":6481,"date":"2022-12-13T04:17:04","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T04:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/?p=6481"},"modified":"2023-04-20T13:01:16","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T13:01:16","slug":"how-to-drive-this-winter-in-californias-rain-ice-or-snow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/how-to-drive-this-winter-in-californias-rain-ice-or-snow\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Drive This Winter in California\u2019s Rain, Ice or Snow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to another California winter. If you lived in North Dakota or the Florida Keys, you might know exactly what to expect from the elements. In the Golden State, however, you could have a whole different seasonal driving experience depending on whether you live in San Diego, Sacramento, or Shasta County. So you need car insurance<\/a> that stands up to your winter driving reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a touch of what you might have in store while traipsing across California, and what you can do to prepare. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hydroplaning When You Thought You Were in Control <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s little that\u2019s more terrifying than realizing your steering wheel isn\u2019t making road contact. You feel more like a helpless passenger than a driver in charge. It\u2019s called hydroplaning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re literally not in charge when your car is driving on top of a micro-thin layer of water rather than directly on the pavement. This phenomenon happens during heavy rainstorms or floods<\/a>, the kind that can take place throughout California during the winter season. Sometimes rain falls so fast and so constantly that you\u2019re actually driving on top of it. This might only happen for a handful of seconds, but it can be startling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key is to stay cool. Tap your brakes, but don\u2019t floor them. That could put your vehicle into a skid or a totally out-of-control spin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two things in your favor: You have a warning, and the phenomenon probably won\u2019t last long. What we mean by a warning is that you should assume hydroplaning could occur whenever you drive into a hard rain. Start taking cautions immediately. Drive slowly and with even more alertness than usual. Better yet, pull off the road and wait it out if you can. Rains that intense typically don\u2019t last long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for that second advantage, as long as you don\u2019t panic as it\u2019s occurring, you should be out of the adrenaline-jolting condition soon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"car<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Driving in CA Snow <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

California is a state where snow doesn\u2019t fall regularly<\/a> (or at all, depending on your location). That might be the very reason you moved here. It might also be why your relatives from Michigan and Minnesota try to visit every December and January. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only downside to such infrequent snowfall (besides your kids\u2019 lack of snow fort construction skills) is that you\u2019re not nearly as prepared to drive in such conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snowfall causes poor visibility and slippery driving conditions. Visibility can drop to near zero during a heavy storm. Add strong wind, and the result is snow squalls that can make things even worse, including swerving and shimmying your car on the road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s slippery stuff under your tires, too. The buildup on roads can leave your car unable to safely proceed. If you live in a California county or region in which such snowstorms are relatively rare, your highway road crews might not stay ahead of plowing duties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, you\u2019re pretty unlikely to have road-gripping winter treads or snow chains on your vehicle if this weather isn\u2019t common to your parts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay on top of weather reports. If you know such a winter storm<\/a> is in the forecast, consider how important it is for you to be out in the first place. Turn on your low beams and keep your distance from other drivers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ideal distance is eight to ten seconds. To accommodate that, check out the vehicle ahead of you as it passes a tree or other landmark, and count off how long it takes you to pass that same landmark. If it\u2019s not at least eight seconds, you haven\u2019t given yourself enough time to stop on snow-slickened roads. Granted, you can\u2019t always keep that safe distance if traffic keeps filling in the gaps you try to create, but do your best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also important to consider the worst-case scenario: You\u2019re stranded in the cold on the side of the road on a day or night so filled with weather-related accidents that you must wait for assistance. That\u2019s why you need to carry an emergency kit in your trunk at all times. It might include a mobile phone charger, road flares, bottled water, dried food, blankets, and whatever else you think you might need for a long stay alone in less-than-ideal weather. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clear Ice, Black Ice, Slippery Ice Are All Possible for Californians <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What happens when that snow from the snowstorm melts on local roadways? What happens if the temperature then decides to drop? You don\u2019t have to remember early science classes to know this is the recipe for ice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If hydroplaning can momentarily take control of your vehicle, the same can happen for a hundred yards or more if your tires meet a long stretch of ice buildup. Going 70 mph and losing the ability to brake or even slow down can be a horrifying experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key here is to know what you\u2019re up against before you\u2019re forced to confront this vicious attack from nature. Check weather reports and take icy road warnings seriously. Stay off those icy roads if you can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If not, drive slowly and carefully. If you see an unbroken line of brake lights in your windshield, recognize that there\u2019s trouble of some kind up ahead<\/a> \u2014 and it could be slippery pavement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do find yourself at the mercy of ice, try to fight off the instinct to hit those brakes hard. Doing so could send your car into a dreaded spin. If that happens, all bets are off. You could hit stationary objects (or cars) at a high speed or end up facing oncoming traffic also unable to stop or slow down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try coasting out of trouble if you can, and don\u2019t swerve in the opposite direction of your slide. Again, that will likely put you into a spin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look for any hint of ice on the road ahead, but remember if it\u2019s late and you hit a patch of nearly invisible black ice, you might not be able to avoid a slide. That\u2019s why it\u2019s imperative to stay off icy roads if you can and to drive at minimum speed, with emergency blinkers on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make Sure Your California Car Insurance Is Up to the Task <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

California drivers who wish to save money buy liability car insurance. It\u2019s the cheapest available line of coverage, but that\u2019s because it only covers other drivers and their property if you\u2019re at fault for a winter accident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What liability doesn\u2019t cover is the damage to your own vehicle. That\u2019s why it might be advisable to ask your insurance agent about getting a quote for affordable full insurance coverage in California<\/a> to protect your own vehicle, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An independent insurance agent can shop for affordable coverage from several major insurance carriers, to get you the best deal at the best cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, ask your independent insurance agent for roadside assistance coverage. With this, you\u2019ll get 24\/7 assistance if you or a loved one is ever stranded, day or night, with a flat tire, dead battery, or another calamity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find Affordable Auto Insurance in California Today <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Contact Cost-U-Less at (800) 390-4071<\/a> or get a quick car insurance quote online<\/a>. You can also meet an independent insurance agent face-to-face at a location near you<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Welcome to another California winter. If you lived in North Dakota or the Florida Keys, you might know exactly what to expect from the elements. In the Golden State, however, you could have a whole different seasonal driving experience depending on whether you live in San Diego, Sacramento, or Shasta County. So you need car […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6857,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[697,712],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6481"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6481"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7029,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6481\/revisions\/7029"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}