AAA urges drivers to prepare and stay off roads ahead of powerful winter storm
LEXINGTON, KY. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – In part one of our Winter Storm Alert series, AAA is offering essential safety tips for drivers as a powerful winter storm is expected to impact the Bluegrass area this weekend.
As ABC36 Chief Meteorologist T.G. Shuck reported, the system could bring heavy snow, ice and dangerously low temperatures, creating hazardous travel conditions across the region.
AAA officials say the first and best piece of advice is to avoid driving altogether if possible.
“Stay off the roads,” said Lori Weaver Hawkins with AAA. “But if you need to be out, if you’re an essential worker or traveling as the storm begins, there are some things you need to keep in mind. It’s time to polish up those winter driving skills again.”
Weaver Hawkins says one of the most important safety tips is knowing how and when to brake in snowy or icy conditions.
“Be sure to have plenty of space between you and the vehicle ahead of you so that you have time to stop,” she said. “When you’re coming to an intersection, you need to plan for more time to come to a stop, which means starting to brake earlier.”
If drivers begin to skid, AAA says panic braking can make the situation worse.
“Steer in the direction you want your vehicle to go until it rights itself,” Weaver Hawkins said. “Don’t slam on the brakes. A lot of people panic, but that can actually cause more of a skid. Take your foot off the accelerator and steer until the vehicle regains control.”
AAA also stresses the importance of having an emergency safety kit in every vehicle, especially during winter weather.
“You should have an emergency kit in your car all year round, but in the wintertime, we want to make sure you have some additional items,” Weaver Hawkins said.
Those items include a folding shovel, a snow scraper with a long handle, windshield de-icer, jumper cables, and materials like sand or kitty litter to help improve traction if a vehicle becomes stuck.
AAA also recommends seniors avoid traveling during the storm and remain at home if possible.
Our ABC 36 metorologists warn the approaching storm could bring major impacts across Lexington, including dangerous road conditions and potential power outages. Governor Andy Beshear has urged Kentuckians to take the storm seriously and prepare ahead of time.
