Winter Driving Safety Tips
Though it isn’t officially winter yet, the upper peninsula saw its first snowfall last week.
There are many things to take into account when it snows, such as staying warm and having the supplies necessary to clear your property.
But one of the most important activates people need to adapt is driving.
Lieutenant Mark Giannunzio of the Michigan State Police explained what the most important steps to preparing your vehicle for snow.
“Tires are a big thing to check. Make sure there is adequate tire depth or tread depth on the tires. If your tires need replacing, now is the time to do it, to get those winter tires on there. That makes a huge difference, even if you don’t do anything else. Stock your vehicle. Some things to have in there are cat litter. If you get stuck, cat litter will be able to get you un-stuck. Getting cat litter under the tires will make your vehicle gain traction,” said Lt. Giannunzio. “Flares in your vehicle are a good thing to have. Blankets, anything to keep you warm are a good thing to have if you are stuck somewhere for a long period of time. Anything that can help you deal with an emergency and calling out or messaging someone for help, so make sure you have a cellphone charger.”
But it doesn’t end there.
There are many other ways to prepare for driving during the winter.
“Drive slow on ice and snow. That is the adage all winter long so slow your speeds down. It’s going to take longer to get to your destination because the roads are snow covered and ice covered. You do not want to be hitting on your brakes a ton in the winter because that could throw you right into a skid,” said Lt. Giannunzio. “You don’t want to be using your cruise control in the winter because when those tires hit the ice, the cruise control is going to continue going fast and you’ll be spinning in place. So, driving slow in the ice and snow is the very best advice we give our drivers in the winter.”
For more resources and information on winter driving, visit the link below.