While there’s always a chance for some type of danger to come upon you while you’re driving, when the weather conditions aren’t ideal, the chances of something bad happen become even higher. And while things like snow or rain tend to be seen as the biggest culprits of car accidents, high winds can be just as dangerous but often harder to recognize. So to help ensure that you and your loved ones are able to stay safe on the road even when the weather isn’t ideal for your road trip, here are three tips that will keep you safe when driving during high winds.

Know How The Wind’s Blowing and Affecting You

Before you can know how you should adjust your driving in order to keep your car safe during high winds, you first have to know how the wind is blowing and how it could start affecting you. According to DefensiveDriving.com, driving in side winds are usually scarier and more dangerous than driving in head or tailwinds. If the wind is whipping you around from side to side, do your best to steer gently and not make any sudden, jerky movements with your steering wheel. With head or tail winds, you’ll want to make sure that you keep a good eye on your speed, as winds can push you to go faster or slower depending on how the air is moving around you.

Keep An Eye Out For Large Vehicles

When the winds are traveling around you at high speeds at the same time that you’re driving at high speeds, your vehicle can essentially become a sail for the winds to catch on and push around. Although you might not feel is so much when your vehicle is smaller, larger vehicles can easily be pushed off course, as they have more surface area to catch on the wind. Because of this, Travelers.com advises that you keep an eye out for larger vehicles, like tractor trailers or semi-trucks. If you can, avoid driving right next to these vehicles when winds are high, as they could easily get blown out of their lane and come crashing into you.

Reduce Your Speed

One of the best things you can do to keep yourself when driving during inclement weather, be it wind, rain or snow, is to reduce your speed. According to Kristen Hall-Geisler, a contributor to How Stuff Works, it’s very hard to make a safe course correction if the wind blows you around when you’re traveling at high speeds. Because of this, it’s safest to slow down so that you can give yourself a little more time to react if you need to.

To help you stay safe and avoid a car accident, consider using the tips mentioned above the next time you’re driving during high winds.