Tips to Consider When Hitting the Road this Winter

As cold, snowy and icy winter weather hits Central Ohio, it’s important to take the necessary steps to keep you and others safe on the road. Bad winter weather has a major impact on transportation, resulting in nearly 500,000 crashes and more than thousands of deaths every winter, according to research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Staying safe on winter roads starts before you hit the ignition. Motorists should keep cold-weather gear, including food and water, warm clothing, blankets, a glass scraper and a flashlight in the vehicle while making sure all tires are inflated and the vehicle has at least half a tank of gas at all times. Also, always remember to check the weather before heading out on any long-distance trip.

In case of inclement weather, AAA first recommends simply staying home and only going out if necessary. However, if you do need to travel, the organization says to drive slowly, accelerate and decelerate comfortably, know your brakes and increase your following distance to provide more room if you have to stop quickly. In addition, motorists should avoid stopping if possible and do not power up or stop while going up a hill. Try to gain momentum before reaching the hill so that the inertia will carry the vehicle to the top without having to stop.

If you do get stuck in the snow, it’s important to stay with your vehicle for shelter and making it easier to be located. Be sure to stay visible with a dome light on and not to over-exert yourself while trying to dig the vehicle out. Most importantly, use blankets and clothing to stay warm and conserve fuel by only running the engine long enough to remove the chill.

For more travel and winter-weather tips, visit www.aaa.com.