Winter Driving Tips: Stay Alert, Slow Down and Stay in Control

For Immediate Release | October 23, 2015
Contact: Police Chief Robert Ticer
970-748-4040 | rticer@avon.org

Avon, CO--With winter fast approaching, the Avon Police Department would like to remind the traveling public of the following winter driving tips:

1. Get your vehicle winter ready by having a maintenance checkup.
2. Check the tread on your tires and have them replaced if needed. The Avon Police provides free tire tread checks to help motorists determine if their tires are safe for winter driving. If new tires are needed, coupons will be available for discounts from participating tire stores in Eagle, Summit, Garfield and Pitkin counties which are redeemable until March 2016.
3. To avoid a situation where you may need to break suddenly on slippery surfaces, decrease your speed and leave plenty of room to stop.
4. To maintain traction, start and stop gradually to avoid losing traction in wet or slippery conditions. Drive at steady speeds and avoid sudden starts or stops. Accelerate slightly when approaching a hill, and then maintain a steady speed going up. Shifting to a lower gear before driving downhill can help reduce the need for breaking and the chances of sliding.
5. Driving sensibly and steadily will avoid most skids. Anticipating turns or land changes will help. If your vehicle begins to skid, remove your foot from the accelerator or brake and steer in the direction of the skid. When the vehicle steadies itself, turn the wheels straight and proceed.
6. Be gentle when applying braking pressure during slippery road conditions. Gentle pumping action on disc-brakes will avoid locking the wheels and sending the vehicle into a skid or spin. Anti-lock braking systems provide this action for you. Avoid braking on curves by driving through them at a safe, steady speed. Gear down for going both uphill and downhill.
7. Keep your lights and windshield clean. Keep a full supply of windshield deicer fluid in the automobile.
8. Turn on your lights to increase visibility to other motorists.
9. Check the weather and travel conditions before heading out and allow yourself plenty of time for travel. Colorado road conditions can be found on COTrip.org
10. Always be prepared by keeping a heavy jacket or coat, gloves, a warm hat, a blanket, water and non-perishable food, a lighter or matches, a cellular phone, ice scraper/snow brush and a shovel in your automobile.

Most collisions are caused by driving too fast for the conditions, so remember to slow down and leave plenty of room between your vehicle and the one ahead of you. If you are involved in a minor collision, Colorado law requires motorists to move the vehicle out of traffic to a safe location when the vehicle is drivable, when no drugs or alcohol are involved and when there are no injuries.

For more information on winter driving safety, contact the Avon Police Department at 970-748-4040.

Remember, drive safely, buckle up and enjoy your winter.

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