Winter has us in its icy grip yet again. No surprise as it is February in
the Midwest; however, it seems people have forgotten just how tricky
travel can be in the snow and ice.

Turtle-pacing it isn’t safe. Crawling along at 5 miles an hour through
town is dangerous. People misjudge your timing and wait and end
up trying to shoot the gap. Street racing isn’t the smartest thing to do
either. Other drivers may be expecting your vehicle to be traveling a
little slower so they may try to turn out in front of you and you’re liable
to rear end them.

SCRAPE YOUR WINDSHIELD, WINDOWS AND REAR WINDSHIELD.
Prior to driving. Something that should be common knowledge
is as common as a dodo bird around here. I promise that extra
minute will be worth it if you’re ever sitting at a stop sign attempting
to see around parked cars and the sun starts shining, making all those
lovely ice crystals sparkle, thus preventing you from seeing the giant
Schwan’s man’s truck barreling down on you.

Don’t pull right up behind someone who is stopped at an intersection
on a hill. Take gravity and add in some of the cold wet stuff and this is
a recipe for disaster, cooked fully at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Park NORMALLY. Yes there is snow by the curb. This does not
mean you should park three feet from it. This makes driving perilous.
Doors opening into traffic, two lane roads down to one lane… you get
the jist. You may be forced to step into snow. That’s what boots are for.
Buying a pair of boots is far cheaper than paying for your car door being
ripped off as you open it into oncoming traffic while parked in one
of the lanes and not the designated parking area.

All jokes aside, winter weather can be treacherous, so having a
backup plan, fully charged cell phone, full tank of gas and a roadside
emergency kit are imperative to safe winter driving. Use your head and
stay calm, regardless of the situation. Losing it on the side of the road
generally makes people want to keep driving rather than stop to help.