YORK, Pa. — Thursday is the first day of winter.
Although there is no snow in the forecast for the remainder of the year, AAA said they want drivers to be prepared on the roads.
AAA said their biggest advice is for drivers to stay home during snowy road conditions.
But if drivers can't, they have other tips to stay safe:
- Drive slowly. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.
- Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
- Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
- Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
- Increase your following distance to five to six seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
- Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads will just make your wheels spin. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.
- Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation agrees with these tips. Fritzi Scheffler, a press officer with PennDOT, said the most important thing drivers can do is stay prepared.
"Just make sure you're checking with your local weather to see what the conditions are going to be like," said Scheffler. "Always leave extra time, because even if we aren't having snow or rain, that doesn't mean something can't happen.”
She also said it's important to prepare your car during snowy conditions.
This includes:
- Keep a bundle of cold-weather gear in your car, such as extra food and water, warm clothing, a flashlight, a glass scraper, blankets, medications and more.
- Make certain your tires are properly inflated and have plenty of tread.
- Keep at least half a tank of fuel in your vehicle at all times.
- Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
- Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface, such as on ice and snow.