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Safety Tips For Driving During Winter Weather

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS (KFSM) — Icy roadways caused some issues in parts of Northwest Arkansas this morning (Feb. 28). Roads in Fayetteville and Springdale caused m...

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS (KFSM) — Icy roadways caused some issues in parts of Northwest Arkansas this morning (Feb. 28).

Roads in Fayetteville and Springdale caused major issues for drivers today.

"When the temperature is at or below freezing anything that looks like a wet spot you should assume is ice," said Kimma Harper, President and Primary Driving Instructor at Driving Academy Northwest Arkansas.

Harper says you should be prepared before you even get in your car when it's freezing outside.

"Get your car ready before you just hop in and take off make sure your visibility is good get the ice off every window and every windshield," Harper said.

Harper says that taking the time to prepare before you get on the road can be crucial to staying staff. She says the biggest mistake people make when driving on ice is not slowing down early enough for bridges.

"Brake before while you are still on dry ground so that just the momentum you have should be enough to get you all the way over," Harper said.

Doug Carter has been a truck driving instructor for nearly 20 years and says when it comes to driving near trucks, give them and yourself plenty of space.

"The rule of thumb is the larger the vehicle the longer it takes to stop... the smaller the vehicle the faster it stops," Carter said.

Carter says the best tip of all when you have to get out when the roads are bad is to just stay aware of your surroundings.

"It’s just a matter of staying focused and anticipating potential hazards and emergencies and then assuming that the worst might occur from those potential hazards," Carter said.

With winter weather in our near future, the three big takeaways are slow down, stay aware and keep a good distance.

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