Driving Today Could Be Messy and Dangerous, Here Are 5 Safe Driving Tips
There is a Lake Effect Snow weather advisory in effect until early Friday. The National Weather Service in Buffalo warns residents to beware of high winds, heavy snowfall, and dangerous travel conditions. The warning has been issued for Northern Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, and Southern Erie - including the cities of Buffalo, Batavia, Warsaw, Orchard Park, and Springville.
WNYers should expect winter storm conditions,
Heavy lake effect snow possible. Total snow accumulations of over 9 inches possible in the most persistent lake snows. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph resulting in considerable blowing and drifting snow. The strongest winds will be Wednesday night.
Here are some safety tips for driving in the snow from Triple A, if you have to go out today or tomorrow,
- Drive Slow. It seems like a given, but countless times I've seen people flying by on snow-covered roads. You may find out too late that there's black ice on the road
- Know Your Brakes. I'm not going to lie, I had crappy brakes for a while that were in desperate need of replacing, and driving in snowy conditions was a huge hazard. If you know your brakes are "no bueno," try as hard as possible to avoid driving in wintery weather.
- Accelerate and Decelerate Slowly. There's no need to try to hit 60 miles per hour, right as the stoplight turns green. On the flip side, don't try to stop on a dime when the light turns red. If the light is green, approach it cautiously, knowing it could change in a second.
- Increase Your Following Distance. A snowstorm is not the time to get close enough to the car in front of you that you can read all of their bumper stickers through the sheet of snow coming down. Fall back, as they say.
- Use Your Gears. If you drive an automatic, you can downshift your vehicle to gain better control on icy or snowy roads.