Tips for driving safe in the upcoming winter
Winter can be a great time of year to experience North Dakota blanketed in a sheet of white.
But compared with any other time of the year, traveling can be as treacherous as it gets.
Lieutenant Aaron Hummel of the North Dakota Highway Patrol recently offered several tips for drivers this winter season. He and the rest of his department hope that residents take heed, not only say they are safe, but so fellow travelers are safe, as well.
First, and maybe most obvious, they "need to understand that winter conditions can be quite dangerous," he said.
Therefore, drivers should follow several steps to ensure safe travel, including:
Always wear a safety belt:
victims are 11 times more
likely to survive with one
than without.
Making sure the vehicle
is ready for winter by
installing snow tires,
checking lights and win-
dow wipers, making sure
the battery is holding a
charge, and the fuel system
has been maintained prop-
erly.
Check road reports and
weather alerts for the
entire trip, including the
final destination. Contact
the North Dakota Depart-
ment of Transportation's
24-hour hotline by dialing
511, or visit their travel
website www.dot.nd.gov/
travel-info-v2 to see road
conditions and closures.
Let someone know travel
plans and do not deviate
from them.
Stay alert and maintain a
slow and steady speed ac-
ceptable for the condi-
tions.
Never use cruise control.
When applying the break,
use a steady, firm pres
sure.
If caught in a blizzards,
stay in the vehicle and, if
possible, park it facing into
the wind.
Be sure to keep tailpipe
clear of snow to hinder
chances of carbon monox-
ide poisoning.
Winter travelers also should consider having emergency supplies on hand in case help is a ways away. Besides having a cell phone ready to call in a crash or other emergency, here is a list of must-haves for trips of any length:
Shovel.
Tire chains.
Booster cables.
Fire extinguisher.
Windshield scraper.
Bright red or
orange cloth.
Flashlight.
Sleeping bag or blankets,
as well as layered cloth-
ing.
50 feet of nylon cord.
A 3-pound metal coffee can
with candle and matches
to melt road ice for trac-
tion.
Drinking water and high-
energy food.
In an emergency, dial 800-472-2121 or 911.