Be prepared for icy roads
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is advising motorists to monitor weather forecasts and postpone unnecessary travel during an anticipated storm in many areas of the state this weekend.
A news release from PennDOT says if travel is necessary, use caution, reduce speeds and be aware of changing weather conditions.
The state agency pre-treated roadways where necessary ahead of this week’s storm to help prevent ice from forming a bond with the pavement during the early stages of a storm. However, salt is not a silver bullet, and drivers may encounter icy spots on the roadway.
If motorists encounter snow- or ice-covered roads, they should slow down, increase their following distance and avoid distractions. Last winter in Pennsylvania, preliminary data shows that there were 301 crashes resulting in four fatalities and 143 injuries on snowy, slushy or ice-covered roadways where aggressive driving behaviors, such as speeding or making careless lane changes, were factors.
Drivers should also prepare or restock their portable emergency kits with items such as nonperishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, cellphone charger and a small snow shovel. Motorists should tailor their kits to any specific needs that they or their families have, such as baby supplies, extra medication and pet supplies, the news release said.
