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Safe driving
12/29/2008
Here are some tips from the Liberty Lake Police Department to drive safely in the snow:
Winter Driving Tips
The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it. Don’t go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.
If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared, and that you know how to handle road conditions.
ICE and SNOW, TAKE IT SLOW!
Driving safely on icy roads:
- Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
- Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
- Stopping on snow and ice without skidding requires extra time and distance. If you have antilock brakes, press the pedal down firmly and hold it. If you don’t have antilock brakes, gently pump the pedal. Either way, give yourself plenty of room to stop.
- Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
- Keep your lights and windshield clean.
- Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
- Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
- Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first.
- Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
- Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.
If you get stuck:
- Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
- Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
- Use a light touch on the gas to ease your car out.
- Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
- Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels to help get traction.
- Try rocking the vehicle. Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you are in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.
Additional winter driving tips and information on road conditions can be found at www.wsdot.gov/winter.
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