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Drivers encouraged to prepare with accumulating snow expected

By WHIO Staff
Drivers encouraged to prepared with accumulating snow expected FILE/Ty Greenlees/Staff
By WHIO Staff

MIAMI VALLEY — Drivers are encouraged to be prepared with the season’s first accumulating snow expected over the next few days.

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We have Storm Center 7 team coverage walking you through what to expect the next few days LIVE on News Center 7 Daybreak starting at 4:25 a.m.

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AAA anticipates an increase in emergency road service calls as winter weather moves through the area, according to a spokesperson.

Road conditions are expected to deteriorate and cause slide-off crashes. AAA says drivers could also experience battery problems and flat tires.

“The usual trend with winter storms is that many people stay off the roads during the worst of it, and then we see more roadside service calls for dead batteries, crashes, and slide-offs afterward, once the storm has passed,” said Kara Hitchens, public affairs manager for AAA. “With the winter precipitation forecast for Saturday and Sunday, we anticipate high call volume on Monday, as many people head back to work or school.”

AAA emergency roadside service crews assisted over 60,000 drivers across the state in 2024, Hitchens said.

AAA has the following tips to prepare vehicles for winter weather:

  • Make certain your tires have good tread for adequate traction and are properly inflated. For every 10-degree drop in temperature, tires can lose 1 pound of air pressure.
  • Have the battery checked by a professional to ensure it is strong enough to face cold weather. When the air temperature is 32 degrees, a battery’s starting power drops 35%, and at zero degrees outside, the battery’s starting power is 60% lower than normal. Also, the average lifespan of a car battery is 3-5 years. AAA members can request a visit from AAA’s mobile battery service technician who will test their battery and replace it on-site, if necessary.
  • Keep your gas tank at least half-full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
  • Ensure that windshield wiper blades are in good condition and the wiper fluid reservoir is full. A winter blend of wiper fluid that resists freezing is recommended.
  • Make sure all lights (headlights, tail and brake lights, turn signals) are working properly so you can see and be seen in bad weather conditions.

As for snowy and icy conditions, AAA says the following:

  • Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive well in winter conditions, not everyone else can. Don’t tempt fate. Stay home until crews can properly clear roadways.
  • Check road and weather conditions. Before you leave, assess the conditions of roads along your route. A good source for this is the Ohio Department of Transportation’s OhGo site.
  • Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on ice- and snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, and turning – give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
  • Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down well in advance of a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
  • Manage a skid. If you lose traction and begin to spin or skid on snow or ice, don’t slam on the brakes. Steer in the direction you want the front of the vehicle to go, until your tires regain traction.
  • Increase your following distance to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
  • Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
  • Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
  • Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.
  • Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.

More details are available on this website.

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