Tips for driving on snowy or icy roads

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WVTM 13. WELL, FOR MOST PEOPLE, A SNOW DAY MEANS A DAY TO STAY HOME, MAYBE PLAY IN THE SNOW. NO SCHOOL. BUT FOR OTHERS, IT MEANS TIME TO GET TO WORK LIKE US AND OTHER EMERGENCY SERVICES, WE HAVE OUR WVTM 13 LISA CRANE LIVE FOR US IN STORM COMMAND TONIGHT. LISA, I KNOW ALDOT CREWS HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOW TO PRE-TREAT THOSE ROADS. YEAH, THEY’VE BEEN SPRAYING THE INTERSTATES WITH THAT BRINE SOLUTION, TRYING TO PREPARE IT IN CASE ICE OR SNOW COMES. THAT SHOULD HELP MELT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT AS YOU SAID, IT’S BEST TO STAY OFF. BUT AGAIN, WE KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET OUT AND ABOUT TOMORROW. AND IF YOU DO, THERE ARE SOME PRECAUTIONS YOU CAN TAKE THAT WILL HOPEFULLY GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO GO SAFELY. 000. IT’S SCARY TO WATCH AND EVEN SCARIER TO EXPERIENCE. BUT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SERIOUS WINTER WEATHER HITS ALABAMA. HERE IN ALABAMA, WE GET A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SNOW AND ICE. WE GET THAT LAYER OF ICE UNDER THE SNOW THAT YOU CAN’T REALLY SEE. AND IT’S ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S BLACK ICE. AND SO YOU HAVE TO ASSUME THERE’S ICE EVERYWHERE. AND IT’S JUST A REALLY BAD COMBINATION. IF YOU MUST DRIVE IN IT. THE EXPERTS AT TRIPLE A ALABAMA SAY TAKE IT SLOW AND STEADY. ASSUME EVERY ROAD IS ICY AND BE READY TO SLIDE. SHOULD YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS AND LOOK AND STEER IN THE DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO, SO THAT WHEN YOU DO REGAIN TRACTION, YOU’LL BE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, INGRAM SAYS. LEAVE AS MUCH ROOM AS POSSIBLE BETWEEN YOU AND ANY OTHER VEHICLES. STAY AT LEAST EIGHT TO 10S BEHIND OTHER CARS AND NEVER USE CRUISE CONTROL. IT LIMITS YOUR CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE AND THAT’S THAT’S NOT A GOOD THING. IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, ESPECIALLY IN ICY CONDITIONS. IF YOU DO FIND YOURSELF IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE SLIDE, DON’T DO THIS. GETTING OUT OF YOUR CAR PUTS YOU AT RISK OF BEING HIT BY ANOTHER SLIDING VEHICLE. IF YOU WANT TO STAY IN THE VEHICLE FOR SAFETY REASONS AND FOR WARMTH REASONS AS WELL. UNTIL HELP CAN GET TO YOU. BUT YOU KNOW, IN THESE CONDITIONS, IT MAY IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE WHILE FOR HELP TO GET TO YOU. NOW, IF YOU KNOW YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO DRIVE TOMORROW, YOU SHOULD CHECK YOUR TIRES TONIGHT. MAKE SURE THE TREAD IS GOOD AND THEY ARE PROPERLY INFLATED. ALSO, IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE, IT’S OBVIOUSLY BEST TO TAKE A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IN THIS TYPE OF WEATHER AND THE TYPE OF VEHICLE CAN IMPACT YOU TOO. THE HEAVIER THE BETTER. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK PICKUP TRUCKS ARE HEAVY. THEY’RE ACTUALLY NOT. YOU ARE MUCH BETTER OFF AND GET BETTER TRACTION IN AN SUV OR A VAN. LI

Tips for driving on snowy or icy roads

For most people, a snow day means a day to stay home, maybe play in the snow and no school.But for others, it means time to get to work.ALDOT crews have pretreated the interstates with a brine solution that should lessen the amount of ice out there, but it's still best to stay off them. If you must drive, there are some precautions you can take to keep you as safe as possible. Sliding is pretty common when serious winter weather hits Alabama.Clay Ingram with AAA Alabama said, “Here in Alabama, we get a different type of snow and ice. We get that layer of ice under the snow that you can't really see and especially when it's black ice. And so, you have to assume there's ice everywhere and it's just a really bad combination.”Ingram said the best advice is to take it slow and steady, assume every road is icy and be ready to slide.“Should you find yourself in a situation where you temporarily lose control of the vehicle, you want to take your foot off the gas and look and steer in the direction you want to go, so that when you do regain traction, you'll be going in the right direction," Ingram said. Ingram said to leave as much room as possible between you and any other vehicles, stay at least eight to 10 seconds behind other cars and never use cruise control.“It limits your control of the vehicle and that's not a good thing in inclement weather, especially in icy conditions," Ingram said.If you do find yourself in an uncontrollable slide, stay in the car. Getting out puts you at risk of being hit by another sliding vehicle.“You want to stay in the vehicle for safety reasons and for warmth reasons as well until help can get to you. But, you know, in these conditions, it may take a little while for some help to get to you," Ingram said. If you know you're going to have to drive in wintry weather, check your tires now, make sure they have good tread and are properly inflated. And if you have a choice, drive a vehicle with four-wheel drive, the heavier the car the better. Many people think pickups are heavy, but they are not, so if you have a choice, take an SUV.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

For most people, a snow day means a day to stay home, maybe play in the snow and no school.

But for others, it means time to get to work.

ALDOT crews have pretreated the interstates with a brine solution that should lessen the amount of ice out there, but it's still best to stay off them. If you must drive, there are some precautions you can take to keep you as safe as possible. Sliding is pretty common when serious winter weather hits Alabama.

Clay Ingram with AAA Alabama said, “Here in Alabama, we get a different type of snow and ice. We get that layer of ice under the snow that you can't really see and especially when it's black ice. And so, you have to assume there's ice everywhere and it's just a really bad combination.”

Ingram said the best advice is to take it slow and steady, assume every road is icy and be ready to slide.

“Should you find yourself in a situation where you temporarily lose control of the vehicle, you want to take your foot off the gas and look and steer in the direction you want to go, so that when you do regain traction, you'll be going in the right direction," Ingram said.

Ingram said to leave as much room as possible between you and any other vehicles, stay at least eight to 10 seconds behind other cars and never use cruise control.

“It limits your control of the vehicle and that's not a good thing in inclement weather, especially in icy conditions," Ingram said.

If you do find yourself in an uncontrollable slide, stay in the car. Getting out puts you at risk of being hit by another sliding vehicle.

“You want to stay in the vehicle for safety reasons and for warmth reasons as well until help can get to you. But, you know, in these conditions, it may take a little while for some help to get to you," Ingram said.

If you know you're going to have to drive in wintry weather, check your tires now, make sure they have good tread and are properly inflated. And if you have a choice, drive a vehicle with four-wheel drive, the heavier the car the better. Many people think pickups are heavy, but they are not, so if you have a choice, take an SUV.

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