Police chief highlights 'largest factors' causing winter car collisions - two tips help
A police chief has revealed two common causes of winter car accidents in addition to their preventative solutions.
A police chief in one of America’s frostiest states has highlighted the most significant factor he sees as causing winter car collisions.
Chief Eric Hamp of Alpena, Michigan’s police department, states that many accidents occur during the cold season due to drivers’ poor speed regulation and spacing.
Officer Hamp said: “The biggest thing that we see with wintertime driving, in a lot of the accidents we investigate, is that motorists need to slow down and leave extra space in between themselves and another vehicle.
“If those two things were to happen, a majority of accidents that we handle in the wintertime due to road conditions would not occur,” The Alpena News reports.
Drivers most benefit from allowing at least three times more space than usual between themselves and the car in front when dealing with winter conditions like snow or ice, according to Notre Dame’s police department.
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Braking gently will help you avoid skidding.
Officer Hamp also emphasized that drivers should manually keep their headlights on during snowfall to enhance road visibility.
Some vehicles have headlights set to automatic mode, which relies on ambient light to activate.
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However, during snowy weather, it can be darker even during the day due to reduced visibility caused by the snowfall, resulting in headlights not activating.
Officer Hamp clarified that his suggestions aren’t just for citizens: “The safety tips that I shared earlier apply to the officers as well.
“We need to make sure that we’re leaving enough space between us and other vehicles; we also need to slow down this time of year, depending on the road conditions, because it doesn’t do anybody any good if we end up in a crash with someone when responding to a call for service,” The Alpena News reports.
