Slick streets contributed to numerous automobile accidents last night with Nacogdoches police responding to 23 accidents and Lufkin officers at the scene of 11 wrecks.
While we Texans (particularly those of us in south and east Texas) are not used to driving on snow- a few safety tips from Washington State Department of Transportation provide guidance for driving on ice or snow to avoid automobile accidents.
• Drive with your headlights on.
• Don't get overconfident with four-wheel drive. It won't help you stop any faster.
• Winter road conditions often result in longer stopping distances. Give yourself room. If you have anti-lock brakes, press the pedal down firmly and hold it. If you don't have anti-lock brakes, gently pump the pedal.
• Slow down when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady spots. These all have potential to develop black ice.
• Avoid abrupt actions while steering, braking or accelerating to lessen your chance of losing control.
• Look farther ahead in traffic. Actions by other drivers will alert you to problems and give you extra reaction time.
• Trucks take longer to stop. Don't cut in front of them.
• Avoid using cruise control or overdrive. Don't let your car make a bad decision for you.
While snow is more often a novelty for many Texans, please remember extra caution is needed when travelling on snow or ice.
