Many people this winter will drive cautious due to the heavy snow storms.  Many snow plow trucks are busy at work clearing the roads so that people can be safe.

A JM student who recently experienced an accident stated, “I should have slowed down because the roads were icy, but I didn’t think about it and continued to go fast, then I hit black ice and flew off of the road.”  

This is an example of how some people may not realize how fast they are going and how bad the road conditions actually are. There are many state laws that control the road and for trucks to plow and lay down salt to melt the ice. During the winter there are many crashes that take people’s lives.  On average 800 people die from icy road conditions due to snow, rainfall, and sleet.

There are also rules and laws for drivers to follow when driving in the snow. Also many drivers should give themselves more time to get to their destination if the roads are icy. Many people should accelerate and decelerate slowly, drive more slowly, don’t stop while going uphill, and don’t stop if you can avoid it.  

Many people have cars that don’t have four wheel drive and get stuck easily. The winter roads can also cause a lot of people money because many people have to pay to get their cars unstuck, pay for their car if they get into a crash, pay for parts for their car if their car breaks down in the winter conditions. You should always carry a blanket and food and a coat in your car just in case you break down on the side of the road and you are stuck there for awhile.  If you are new at driving in the winter you should be safe and drive slow, the roads in the winter can be very dangerous.