It didn’t take much to put her car into an unexpected tailspin. That dark spot on the road didn’t look dangerous but it was a very slippery patch of black ice ~ and it caught her by surprise as she slid helplessly into the intersection. This time, Rachel dodged the bullet and a crisis was averted. Her anti-lock brake system had kicked in and spared her from a potentially life-threatening collision. She pulled to the side of the road to collect herself.

Mike Thoin and Avery Broccoli, the co-owners of Brock’s Collision Center & Auto Repair in Warwick, see a lot of vehicles that have not been so lucky as the Ford Edge that Rachel was driving. Even though this winter has brought us relatively little snow, the temperatures have been cold and deceptively icy roads are common. If your travels take you anywhere in New England, Thoin and Broccoli have some timely pieces of advice for safe winter driving, the most important having to do with driving four-wheel or all-wheel cars.

Drivers who navigate their 4-wheel or all-wheel vehicles in snow and ice often have a false sense of security when they drive in typical winter weather conditions. They may feel that because their 4-wheel drive vehicle can accelerate up a snowy hill they can also stop as soon as they apply their brakes – but they are wrong! Having a rugged four or all-wheel vehicle is no protection on snow or ice!! Your vehicle will slide out of control, just like any other vehicle. And those slides could end you up with a pesky fender bender, or something much worse.

Anti-lock brake systems are also important for winter driving. They prevent your wheels from locking up, automatically pumping your brakes if you go into a skid. When the ABS of your car engages, you will feel a grinding, chattering or shaking motion. Don’t be alarmed, Mike and Avery explain that this is your ABS at work. When purchasing a new vehicle, make sure it has an anti-lock brake system.

If your vehicle is involved in an accident this winter, there is really is only one place to bring it for auto body and repair work, and that is Brock’s Collision Center, this comprehensive repair shop in Apponaug. Mike and Avery are true professionals who are passionate about their work and who are perfectionists at what they do.

They are also continually re-investing in their business, including using the technologically-advanced Snap-On Zeus Intelligent Diagnostic Center. This expensive new scanner tool allows them to perform detailed pre-and post-repair computer scanning, helping them identify and repair codes in every aspect of the vehicle, something that is essential in today’s electronically sophisticated cars.

Come to Brock’s Collision Center, located at 3066 Post Road. To see examples of their work, follow them on Facebook® or at www.brockscollisioncenter3066.com. Call or text Avery Broccoli at 401-738-3440 or email him at brockscollisioncenter@gmail.com.