Crime & Safety

Sheriff's Office Urges Caution to Drivers

Those who absolutely must drive should heed these tips to avoid injuries or worse.

With snowy and icy conditions tonight and Monday, the Paulding County Sheriff's Office has offered these tips for those considering venturing onto the roads:

1. If you don’t have to go out in hazardous weather conditions, stay home. You won’t take a chance of crashing or being stranded.

2. If you do have to drive, give it your full concentration. This is no time for distracted drivers juggling cellphones and sandwiches. Drive cautiously with both hands on the wheel. Two-fisted drivers are ready for the unexpected when steering becomes a challenge. And buckle up.

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3. Slow down. Driving too fast for the conditions gets many drivers in trouble when they hit patches of ice. Leave yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going. Plan to be patient or don’t plan to leave the house at all.

4. Don’t tailgate or follow too closely. Avoid grouping up with a pack of vehicles, especially at higher speeds, if you want to prevent yourself from being part of a chain-reaction crash. Again, buckle your safety belt.

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5. Don’t use cruise control when driving on ice, snow or slush. Cruise control is designed for normal driving conditions, and slippery roads can cause wheel spin and loss of control when you’re locked in cruise control. And you might not have time to disengage the cruise control in a spin-out.

6. Don’t panic or slam on the brakes. If you find yourself sliding or losing control, take your foot off the gas and resist the temptation to slam on the brakes. Sudden braking will eliminate what little traction you have. Again, buckle your safety belt.

7. If you start to spin, you’re pretty much at the mercy of the ice. But experienced deputies with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic Unit advise you to steer in the direction of the spin until the vehicle comes to a stop. If you’re already driving slowly, this won’t be nearly as terrifying.

8. H.E.A.T. deputies also advise motorists who insist on driving in winter weather to have at least a half-tank of gas, medications and food supplies; carry a freshly charged cellphone; pack warm clothes and a blanket; and have a working flashlight. Once you’re stranded during a severe weather episode, it could take emergency services a while to get to you. So slow down, buckle up and drive sober.

For more tips, see AAA’s “Get A Grip” and “How to Go on Ice and Snow” at http://patch.com/buQaj.


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