With the recent weather and icy conditions, several Thumb area authorities are urging drivers to be careful on the roads.
The Tuscola County Sheriff’s Office reports that there have been over 220,000 winter-related crashes in the state between 2015 and 2019, including about 3,100 accidents involving serious injuries and fatalities, with a majority of the crashes being caused by drivers going too fast for the roadway conditions.
With it possible to take up to 10 times longer to stop your vehicle on snowy and/or icy roads than usual, authorities urge drivers to slow down and allow more room between your vehicle and the one ahead of you so as to give yourself time to react and brake, thus reducing your crash risk. While front-wheel-drive, all-wheel drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles are less likely to slip during acceleration than a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, they are just as difficult to stop and turn on wintry roads as rear-wheel drive vehicles, so slowing down is still a must.
Authorities also remind drivers that if your vehicle begins to skid, first take your foot off the accelerator and then steer in the same direction the rear of your car is sliding. In other words, if the rear end of your car is swinging to the right, turn your steering wheel to the right. Don’t steer violently, or you’ll just skid in the opposite direction.
They also recommend not using cruise control settings while driving on ice and snow, and to know how your car’s anti-lock braking system (ABS) works. The ABS will prevent your wheels from locking during a skid, giving you greater steering control; however, it will not help you stop quicker. So, keep driving slow on ice and snow.
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