When driving in Minnesota, you might think winter is the only time you have to worry about specific hazards on the road, but that’s not true. The weather during fall can pose risks to drivers that you might not have considered, which means you need to be just as careful as you are in the winter.
Of course, you should always be careful behind the wheel no matter what season it is. But when you’re driving in the fall, there are some specific dangers you need to keep an eye out for so that you are as safe as possible. Let’s take a look at what those are so you can avoid fall driving hazards in Minnesota.
Common Fall Road Hazards
Fall is a great season for many reasons—temperatures get cooler, trees change colors, and there are plenty of reasons to get outside and enjoy the season. After summer, the cooler breezes are likely welcome, but sometimes fall can get chillier than usual. Because of this, there are some hazards on the road in fall that could lead to a potential car accident.
That’s why it’s important to always be on the lookout for fall driving hazards in Minnesota. The Minnesota Safety Council has a fact sheet that details some of the most common dangers of driving in our state during the fall. Here are some of those hazards that you may or may not have been aware of:
- Frost on roads and windows of cars
- Slippery wet roads
- Leaves on the road
- Deer crossing
- Later sunrise could mean driving into the sunlight in the morning
- Shorter days could mean driving in darkness more often
- School busses
Now that you know what specific dangers could be waiting for you on Minnesota roads in the fall, let’s take a look at how you might avoid these hazards and get to your destination safely even as the temperature is dropping.
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How to Combat Fall Driving Hazards
Each of the dangerous driving conditions listed above might seem like you can’t control them, and that’s true. You can’t control the weather, nature, deer, or the cycle of everything. But you can control how you prepare and react to those dangers. Being prepared is the most important part of driving in any season—not just fall.
Here are some ways you can stay prepared while driving in the fall in Minnesota:
- Warm up your car before driving
- Scrape any frost off your windshield and windows so you have full vision
- Service your car so it’s up on its maintenance
- Keep your tire pressure in a good zone
- Slow down if roads are frosty or slick
- Avoid patches of leaves on the road, as they could be slippery
- Watch the tree line for deer
- Keep your windshield clean so there aren’t any glares from sunlight
- Clean your headlights and make sure they’re not burned out
- Watch for school crossings and bus stops
All of these actions on top of paying attention to the road are important in the fall. You might think you’re a safe driver, but you need to be constantly considering the time of year so you’re prepared for anything.
Of course, you can’t always predict everything that could happen. One wrong move or one miscalculation could cause a car wreck. Or if another driver isn’t paying attention, they could also be the one to cause a collision. When that happens, you could use the help of a car accident lawyer to represent you in a claim.
What About Pedestrians in the Fall?
As mentioned above, driving in the fall can be a bit more dangerous than you might think. There are more hazards to look out for, and one of those is kids going to school. School crossings and school bus stops pop up again after a summer without class. It’s important to watch for students and ensure you fully stop for school crossings and stopped busses with their stop sign out. But what about regular pedestrians?
In the fall, it can be harder to spot regular pedestrians. It gets darker sooner, so you might not see a pedestrian waiting for a crosswalk or crossing the street like you might have during the summer when it’s light for much longer. Because of this, you should slow down when approaching intersections and other road crossings so that you can more easily spot a pedestrian.
Since it’s cooler out, there also might be more people out and about during the fall. This could also cause a spike in pedestrian crossings, so you need to be careful as a driver. Following the speed limit and slowing down at potential crosswalks are your best methods of keeping yourself and pedestrians safe in the fall.
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Madia Newville LLC is Here to Help
No matter how careful you are, you can’t control all of the forces around you. When another person’s negligence leads to a collision, you could use the help of our car accident attorney. At Madia Newville, we know how difficult it can be to recover from a car crash, which is why we’re here to help you financially recover.
We’ll investigate what happened, collect your evidence, and work to get you the compensation you deserve for what you’ve been through. Reach out to our office today so we can get started on your claim right away.
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