Northwest Iowa — Here in northwest Iowa we’ve seen our first blast of winter weather, and it seems as though each year we have to re-learn how to drive in wintry conditions.
We asked Iowa State Patrol Trooper Kevin Krull to share a few winter driving safety tips. Trooper Krull says the first tip he’d give is to slow down.
He says it’s also important to remember that stopping your vehicle is more of a challenge on slippery roads.
Krull says many people put too much faith in four-wheel drive vehicles to take them anywhere through all kinds of snow. He reminds us that, even in a four-wheel drive vehicle it’s still possible to get stuck.
He says when snow and blowing snow reduce visibility, don’t blindly follow the tracks left by the last vehicle in front of you. All too often you’ll simply follow those tracks into the ditch, right behind the vehicle that left them.
He had one final thought about traveling in bad winter weather.
Trooper Krull urges you to stay on top of the latest weather forecasts, and plan accordingly. When you’re driving in wintry conditions he says you should slow down, and if you can postpone your trip until after the weather improves, that will be your safest course of action.
