Our view: Be careful on those slick winter roads

As much as any of us hate to admit it, winter weather has arrived.

Along with having to worry about shoveling driveways and sidewalks, many of Green River’s residents will also contend with slick roads and the possibility of driving during a nasty blizzard at some point during the next several months.

We’ll keep our request short this week: Please drive carefully.

The first storms of the year tend to result in a lot of vehicle collisions as people are not used to driving on snow and ice. While much of the weekend storm has melted off by the time anyone reads this, the fact remains that we should brace ourselves for winter driving.

There are some easy things to do when it comes to winter driving. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, driving slowly is an important thing to remember. On slick surfaces, it takes longer to stop a vehicle and a slower moving vehicle stops much quicker than a vehicle following the speed limit. With that in mind, people should also remember to increase the distance between their vehicle and a vehicle they’re following because of that enhanced stopping distance.

It’s also not a bad idea to prepare a winter emergency kit for each vehicle. Blankets, jumper cables and emergency lighting are good essentials to have on hand.

Finally, remember to make sure everyone in the vehicle is buckled up. At this point, everyone knows how a seat belt can save a person’s life. Buckling up is a no-brainer and will prevent that annoying buckle-up sound cue from ruining your favorite song.

Winter is on our doorstep. It’s time we face facts and drive safely.