Winter driving is a perilous proposition in many regions. Snow in the air and ice on the roads can make for treacherous conditions for motorists. And the fact that it gets dark so early in the winter only compounds the danger of driving in the colder months. So it’s no surprise that most drivers breathe a sigh of relief by the time spring rolls around.

But make no mistake, warmer temperatures bring their own set of driving-related hazards. Springtime may not be as obviously dangerous as winter, but motorists should still pay attention to several driving safety issues once the flowers start blooming. And because these dangers tend to be less noticeable than cold-weather hazards, it’s incumbent on safety professionals to highlight the following issues for the workforce.

Where the rubber meets the road

The use of winter tires can make it a lot safer to drive on cold, slippery streets. But once the spring thaw arrives, winter tires can actually be more dangerous to drive on than all-season treads. Using winter tires out of season can also reduce their lifespan and lower fuel efficiency, costing drivers money in both the near and long term. Once the temperature reaches a consistent 44°F (7°C) or higher, winter tires should be swapped out for their more season-appropriate counterparts.

And drivers who don’t use winter tires may still have some safety-related tire maintenance to do. Notable shifts in temperature can affect tire pressure, which also naturally diminishes over time. This makes spring a great opportunity for folks to check the pressure on their all-season tires. While they’re at it, it’s also worth checking the overall condition of tires to ensure they are still safe to drive on. A bit of preventative maintenance and using season-appropriate treads can go a long way toward avoiding tire-related issues later in the spring or summer.

Walking (and biking) on sunshine

While snowy conditions present all sorts of challenges for drivers, one safety-related upside in the winter is that there are fewer pedestrians and cyclists to contend with. That all changes when spring arrives. People start tuning up their bicycles, and crosswalks begin filling with people who are out soaking up the nicer weather.

Over 7,000 pedestrians were killed by traffic crashes in 2024, and another 71,000 were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Pedestrians are particularly at risk in the springtime as drivers may have slipped in their habit of watching out for other road users.

Cyclists and people on foot are at the greatest physical risk, but motorists who injure or kill someone face their own mental toll as well. So while some workplaces regularly discuss pedestrian safety as it relates to forklifts and other work vehicles, the spring is also an ideal time to have a broader conversation about the need to pay attention to pedestrians and cyclists outside of work.

Complacency alert!

Human factors are a major contributor to all sorts of incidents, so it’s no surprise that they’re a factor in spring driving hazards. And while states like rushing and frustration can affect drivers throughout the year, complacency can be especially prevalent as winter departs and spring arrives.

By mid-spring, many of winter’s hazards have literally melted away. Extra hours of daylight boost everyone’s mood. And with more going on around you, there’s plenty to look at and, seemingly, less need to focus on road conditions as you’re unlikely to encounter a nasty patch of black ice. This makes spring driving a breeding ground for complacency and distraction.

These factors are problematic in their own right, and they also compound other safety issues. Complacency can cause car owners to forgo tire maintenance, and distraction can lead drivers to miss a pedestrian crossing the road in front of them. This makes human factors a particularly notable problem for motorists in the spring.

It’s also a good example of how an effective human factors management program can improve safety outcomes in all sorts of situations. Because while few workplaces will implement human factors training solely for its seasonal safety merits, there are very real benefits to teaching employees how to mitigate issues like complacency and distraction, which can fluctuate as much as the weather.

The safety manager effect

These may not seem like major hazards to a lot of people. Yet each of these issues can elevate the risk of an incident. And given the amount of hazardous energy involved in operating a vehicle, any incident has the potential to turn deadly.

Safety managers have a number of tools at their disposal to point out these issues to workers in order to help keep people safe on the road. Safety meetings are an obvious opportunity, and a couple of spring-themed toolbox talks can go a long way. One-on-one conversations are also an option, especially if a safety manager believes that certain employees may need more frequent reminders. Meanwhile, displaying safety posters can help spotlight seasonal safety issues, especially if they’re used in conjunction with reminders provided in meetings and informal conversations. Just don’t forget to rotate the posters out before they lose efficacy, otherwise they could inadvertently contribute to a sense of complacency.

Safety managers are in an ideal position to remind workers about the often overlooked hazards of driving in the spring. So no matter which tactic they use, safety professionals should take the changing season as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of checking and/or changing tires, looking out for pedestrians and cyclists, and paying attention to human factors like complacency and distraction.