Winter weather may look pretty, but it can cause a pretty big mess on the roads. Sgt. Jim Squance of the Oxford Police Department said the local dispatch sees an increase in calls on snowy days because people want to know about road conditions and school closings. Squance offered these tips to drivers to stay safe on the roads.
If you don't have to go out, don't.
Even if you are able to drive well on snowy roads, other drivers may not. If you don't absolutely need to be out on the roads, stay home.
Accelerate and decelerate slowly.
This is the best method for avoiding skids, according to Squance. He also suggests taking more time to slow down because road conditions make stopping more difficult.
Know your brakes.
Know if your brakes are anti-lock or not. Squance said the best method for braking is threshold braking, which involves keeping your heel on the floor of the vehicle and using the ball of the foot to apply slow and steady pressure to the brake.
Don't stop if you can avoid it.
Stopping and getting started again can be one of the trickiest parts of driving on snowy or icy roads. Squance suggested drivers, if possible, slow down enough to keep rolling until a light changes or traffic clears at a stop sign.
If you keep your car in a garage, don't start the car to warm it up in a closed garage.
Starting a car releases carbon monoxide. Make sure the doors are open, so the air can be ventilated.
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Don't use cruise control on snowy or icy roads.
Look and steer where you want to go.
Make sure your tires are properly inflated for snowy and icy road conditions.
Always wear your seatbelt.
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