With winter weather approaching…

   With winter weather approaching, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol is urging motorists to help bring the year to a close without any more deaths on our roadways.“We really need people to ensure their vehicles are ready to operate in cold weather, and then make a mental check about the driving changes they’ll need to make in order to get to their destinations safely on potentially slick roads,” said Captain Chris West, spokesman for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

 

“This year we’ve had forty-six fewer traffic deaths than for the same time period in 2006 (648 compared to 694). In 2006,765 people were killed on Oklahoma’s roads. Sixty-seven of those people died in the month of December. With increased travel for the Christmas and New Year holidays just around the corner, we’re wanting to remind the public that they’ll need to modify their driving behavior as the potential for icy roads approaches,” said West.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the National Safety Council would like to offer the following helpful tips if you must drive in snowy or icy conditions:

  • Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. -Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
  • Always drive with your lights on.
  • Keep your lights and your windshield clean.
  • Never use your cruise control on icy roads.
  • Be especially careful on bridges and overpasses. These roads will freeze first.
  • Never pass snow plows or sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and the road in front of them is probably worse than the road behind.
  • Just because your vehicle is four-wheel or front wheel drive does not mean it can handle icy roads.
  • Be sure you have water, a blanket, and a fully charged cell phone in your vehicle. If you find yourself stranded or are in an accident, dial *55. An OHP trooper will respond as soon as possible.

Department of Public Safety / Public Information Office

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