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Monday, February 01, 2010

Tips For SAFE WINTER DRIVING


The Three P's of Safe Winter Driving:

PREPARE for the trip;

PROTECT yourself; and

PREVENT crashes on the road.

PREPARE
Maintain Your Car:

Check battery and tire tread, keep your windows clear, put nofreeze fluid in the washer reservoir, check your antifreeze.

Have On Hand: flashlight, jumper cables, abrasive material (sand, kitty litter, even floor mats), shovel, snow brush and ice scraper, warning devices (like flares) and blankets. For long trips, add food and water, medication and cell phone.

Stopped or Stalled?

Stay with your car, don't over exert, put bright markers on antenna or windows and shine dome light, and, if you run your car, clear exhaust pipe and run it just enough to stay warm.

Plan Your Route:
Allow plenty of time (check the weather and leave early if necessary), be familiar with the maps/directions, and let others know your route and arrival time.
Practice Cold Weather Driving!

During daylight, rehearse maneuvers slowly on the ice or snow in an empty lot
Steer into a skid

Know what your brakes will do: stomp on antilock brakes, pump non-antilock brakes
Stopping distances are longer on water-covered ice and ice

Don't idle for a long time with the windows up or in an enclosed space

PROTECT YOURSELF
Buckle up and use child safety seats properly
Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag
Children 12 and under are much safer in the back seat
Sit back 10 inches from an air bag

PREVENT CRASHES
Drugs and alcohol never mix with driving
Slow down and increase distances between cars
Keep your eyes open for pedestrians walking in the road
Avoid fatigue – Get plenty of rest before the trip, stop at least every three hours, and rotate drivers if possible

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/outreach/safesobr/20qp/planner/images/dot_logo.gif

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Or hey you could move to a city that actually knows how to plow the damn streets @#$! My god did you all see Main Street Salisbury this morning, What a disgrace!

citygoer said...

Agreed 11:50. The half-a$$ to everything done here is pathetic. Snow removal, how hard is it?

Anonymous said...

I could not believe how many people i saw yapping away on cell phones while driving in this crap!! IDIOTS!!!!

Anonymous said...

Step 1... Plow the roads!!!! Where do our tax dollars go? The City of Fruitland especially should be ashamed! Main street looked worse than my backyard. We pay city and county taxes and are ignored by both.

Anonymous said...

For a town with limited resources and a bunch of people who don't want tax increases, you sure do complain alot! I am from Syracuse NY, a city very used to the snow... for the resources wicomico county has they are doing their best! We get two whole snow falls a year! Get over it!

Anonymous said...

Citygoer do you EVER stop whining? Seriously you moved here. You can move away also.

Anonymous said...

The raods that are consider counties responsibility were plowed. I am just wondering why it is the county can plow theirs but city can't? I have to pay both city and county taxes seems to me the city gets more tax money than county.