So far this winter, snow has hit every state in the country. Venturing out in this "winter wonderland" has taken on a whole new meaning; wondering if you are going to be able to get to work or school, wondering if they are even open, wondering if the buses or trains are running, wondering if your car will start, wondering if you can get your car out of the driveway or parking spot, wondering if you will get stranded at the airport or worse yet in your car, wondering if the roads have been plowed, wondering if the person in the other car knows how to drive on snow and ice, etc.
Well, here are some tips that might make the "winter wonderland" a little more tolerable;
First, if you do not absolutely have to go to work or school, stay home. The fewer the cars on the road, the easier it is for plows to clear them and for emergency vehicles to get around. You can spend part of the day cleaning your driveway and sidewalks. Do not over exert yourself shoveling!
If you do have to go out, slow down. No one is going anywhere fast, so just take a breath and relax. Take the time to warm up your car and clear off the snow and ice. You definitely want to see where you are going or who is coming at you. And, turn your headlights on so other vehicles will see you! Slow down on the roads. Giving your car too much gas will just make it fishtail causing you to possibly spin out of control. Slowing down gives you more control over your car. More control allows you to avoid accidents by giving you more maneuverability and it makes it more likely you will be able to stop for red lights and stop signs and not skid through them. And remember, when the sidewalks are covered with snow or ice, pedestrians may be walking in the road, so be cautious.
If you do have the misfortune to be involved in an accident, you may have to decide whether or not to repair your car. Your decision will be based on the cost of the repairs and whether your car insurance will cover them. If your insurance will not cover the accident and the repairs costs are high, you may want to just look for another car. If your car insurance does cover it and gives you a check, you may want to put it towards another car rather than fixing your present car. In both cases, you will need to do something with your car.
If the damage to your car is not severe, you can probably trade it in towards a new or used car or sell in privately. However, if the car sustained severe damage, you will not be able to do that. If you give it to a salvage yard, you will probably get somewhere between $50 and $250 for it. No matter how badly damaged your car is, you will a tax deduction of $500 or more if you donate your car to charity. If the charity you donate car to sells it for more than $500, that sale amount will be the amount you can claim for your tax deduction.
Author Resource:
Karen Campese is the Co-founder and CEO of Cars4Charities, a not for profit car donation center. They have over 1,000 respected charities that you can donate car to. When you donate your car , you get a tax deduction and help a good cause.
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