And while some drivers enjoy winter rides, others try to avoid them or at least reduce them as much as they can. But when it comes to an important trip, meeting, going on a winter vacation or doing daily chores, driving becomes inevitable even in winter.
A prerequisite for every safe ride is, of course, a correct and regularly maintained car, and that is exactly what you will get when you rent it at ORYX Rent a car in Karlovac.
But what else can you do and what do you need to pay special attention to while driving in your rented vehicle?
We bring you some great tips for safe driving in winter conditions. Read on and always be careful!
1. If the weather is particularly relentless, the ride can wait
Snowstorms, heavy snowfalls, and strong stormy winds are reasons to stay safe at home and delay driving.
If you have already booked your rental car in Karlovac, and you notice that the weather is getting worse or maybe heavy snow started falling on the day of pickup, feel free to contact the branch and change or postpone the reservation. At ORYX, you can always do this without any problems or additional costs, because your safety is always our number one priority.
If you have already picked up your vehicle, at least try to postpone the trip until the morning and wait for the weather to calm down. Being late somewhere or postponing a trip is always a better option than taking risks and driving on slippery roads, especially for inexperienced drivers.
In addition, the roads will most likely be cleared quickly after a storm so your journey will be safer if you wait.
2. Slowly but surely
Of course, snow and winter do not mean you cannot drive, it just means you should be more careful. Therefore, when there are no strong storms, and the snow and ice are cleared from the road, you can set off, but always with a dose of caution.
Driving on snow and ice is very different from driving on clean roads when there is no rainfall. Therefore, it is always recommended to reduce speed and adapt driving to road conditions to avoid so-called vehicle skidding.
3. Carefully with the brake and accelerator pedal
Be gentle with the accelerator and brake pedal, or your car may slip, and you may lose control of it.
The coefficient of friction, i.e. the adhesion of the vehicle to the road in winter conditions is lower, and therefore the possibility of slipping is higher. Abrupt braking and acceleration further reduce this grip and increase the risk of slipping, so always apply lighter pressure to the brake and accelerator, i.e. brake or accelerate slowly and gradually.
4. Keeping a distance is more important than ever
For very similar reasons, it is extremely important to maintain an adequate distance between vehicles. Thus, due to the previously described reduced friction on the roads, the braking distance will be significantly longer in winter conditions. In other words, the vehicle will take significantly longer to come to a complete stop.
Therefore, if there is a car in front of you on the road, keep a much larger distance than you would normally maintain to avoid a potential collision when stopping.
5. Stopping on downhill and uphill is not a good idea
Ice and snow make it difficult for your vehicle to adhere adequately to the road, which means that any stop on slopes carries a certain risk of slipping and crashing into other vehicles, light poles, and similar objects.
Whenever possible, therefore, avoid parking on any uphill or downhill.
With extra caution and common sense to safe driving
Before you get into your rented car in Karlovac, it is always advisable to first assess what the weather conditions are, or whether it is safe and wise to go on the road. And if the conditions allow it, start your ride, but always with increased caution and applying all the safety measures you can.
The tips you have read here will no doubt help you with that, and for all additional questions and any help, ORYX Rent a car Karlovac is always at your disposal.
