BOISE – With weather forecasts calling for an additional 3 to 5 inches of snow across many parts of the state throughout the day, AAA is sharing a few more safety tips for handling slushy and icy roads:
- Don’t use cruise control during bad weather. Even adaptive cruise control is designed for bare pavement and may not help you slow down or stop in time to avoid a crash.
- Avoid unnecessary lane changes – there is often a space between lanes where snow and ice will accumulate even after vehicles have warmed up the rest of the road.
- Avoid sudden braking and acceleration. Try to brake and accelerate before and after making a turn.
- Bundle errands when conditions are better so that fewer emergency trips are necessary during bad weather.
- Clear away ice and defrost windows completely before hitting the road.
“When the weather gets nasty, your best course of action may be to stay home,” says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde. “But if you do need to get behind the wheel, please remember to watch your speed and following distance. Consider keeping a bag of sand or kitty litter in your car, along with the more traditional traction control devices like chains or tire socks, just in case you do get stuck.”