Winter weather advisory – drive safely

Last week in NEPA, the temperature was pushing 70 degrees. Today, a winter weather advisory has been issued for both Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties from 6 p.m. tonight until 10 a.m. tomorrow morning . Don’t let the quick shift in the weather catch you off guard – be prepared for winter weather driving with the following tips:

Basic vehicle maintenance can make your car safer in the snow

• Make sure your tires are properly inflated
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas-line freeze-up in cold weather
• Make sure your vehicle is up to date on oil changes and inspections, and that all fluids have been checked or refilled

Be prepared before hitting the road

• You never know when the weather can take a turn for the worse in the winter months, so it’s best to be prepared with some supplies, including a shovel, gloves, kitty litter, food, water, and a fully charged cell phone.
• Check the weather forecast before going on a trip and plan to stop if necessary. Delay trips if very bad weather is expected
• Plan your route ahead of time, and get familiar with your route in case a GPS device should fail

Drive carefully in winter weather

• Do not use cruise control when driving in ice and snow
• Maintain a safe speed when the roads are snow-covered or icy. Apply the gas slowly when accelerating and turning,  and give yourself plenty of extra time to come to a stop when braking.
• Don’t stop on a hill in the snow if you can avoid it, as it can be difficult or impossible to get going again once the car has come to a stop. At the same time, don’t apply too much extra gas while going up a hill either, as this can cause your wheels to spin and you may lose control of the vehicle.
• Always wear your seat belt, and avoid distractions. In the snow, it is much harder to correct a mistake, or to come to a sudden stop.