Asphalt Pavement – Winter Driving
Asphalt Pavement – Winter Driving
In repeated surveys, between 29 percent and 33 percent of the Americans surveyed report that fall is their favorite season. Some cite the relief of cooler temperatures after a long, hot summer. Others point to the changing colors of the leaves on trees as the reason for preferring fall. Some people like the autumn because the weather tends to encourage families to spend more time together. Fall also marks the start of a new school year, the height of football season and a number of family oriented celebrations that include Halloween and Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, fall also brings several potential driving hazards that you may not encounter during other seasons.
Asphalt Pavement – Winter Driving – The Weather Can Be Unpredictable
During the summer months, you know basically what the weather will be in the Cape Cod area — the temperatures will remain above freezing and the sun will shine brightly on most summer days. In the fall, however, the weather can be a bit unpredictable. Record lows in the area have dipped below freezing as early as October, and tropical storms and hurricanes have occasionally made it this far north as late as the first week of November. Furthermore, the weather conditions can change rapidly, and a sunny day can quickly yield to a light rain. Because the summer months are typically the driest, the first rain to fall in the autumn can make the roads slippery if the rain is not enough to wash away the dirt and oil that has built up on the pavement over the previous few weeks. If there are fallen leaves on the road, the rain can make the asphalt pavement even slicker.
Asphalt Pavement – Winter Driving – Night Arrives Earlier
Every day throughout the fall, darkness arrives a little earlier. However, when the time changes in November, night arrives a full hour earlier, robbing you of the chance to acclimate gradually. The abrupt change may mean that all or part of your evening commute must be completed in the dark. Errands that were handled during daylight hours the previous week may now require you to drive at night. Nighttime driving presents its own challenges, but when you factor in the time change, driving after dark can be more challenging until you have adjusted to the new time.
Asphalt Pavement – Winter Driving – Sun Glare Can Be a Problem
Although it sounds counterintuitive, sun glare can cause problems for drivers in the fall more than it does in the summer. It has to do with the angle at which the sun sets during the autumn months. As the sun gets closer to the horizon, it can shine directly into your eyes or reflect from other cars or windows at a low angle. If the sun is setting behind you, it can reflect off of your mirror or the traffic lights you are approaching. Normally, it only takes a split second for your eyes to adjust, but in the meantime, you may have trouble seeing traffic lights or pedestrians and cars in the road ahead. Many drivers find that they rely more on their sunglasses during the fall than they do during the summer.
Trust Dirtworks for Your Paving Needs
Locally owned and operated, Dirtworks offers a wide range of asphalt-related services, site work and excavation services. Our services include asphalt paving and repair, sealcoating, parking lot striping and asphalt milling. We do municipality paving, as well as asphalt driveway paving, or maybe a dirt road repaired, a cellar hole excavated or snow removed from your parking lot, we can help. We deliver exceptional work and superior customer service at competitive rates. You can request a free, no-obligation estimate by calling (508) 240-5541 or submitting the online form.
Dirtworks – The Top Asphalt Paving Contractors in Cape Cod!
See Recent FAQs Below
