Winter driving in Wisconsin
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Plan your travels and check the latest weather reports to avoid driving in a winter storm. You can find out the latest road conditions by visiting the Wisconsin Department of Transportation travel information website at www.511wi.gov or by calling 511.
It is also important to check and winterize your vehicles before the winter season begins. Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. Make sure your car’s battery is in good shape – cold temperatures can reduce the effectiveness of a battery by 50 percent.
If expecting adverse weather during your trip, tell someone at both ends of your journey where you are going and the route you intend to take. Report your safe arrival. Make certain that both parties have your cell phone number and license plate number before you start your trip.
Here are some driving tips. Be gentle with both the accelerator and brake. Don’t use cruise control in wintery conditions. Don’t be overconfident in your four-wheel drive vehicle. You may get going quicker than others but you can’t stop faster. Four-wheel drive vehicles can lose traction as quickly as two-wheel drive.
Carry a winter storm survival kit in the back seat of your vehicle (in case your trunk jams or is frozen shut) that includes:
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Extra hats, socks and mittens
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• First-aid kit
• Shovel, booster cables and windshield scraper
• Water and high-calorie non-perishable food (raisins, candy bars, energy/protein bars)
• Sand or cat litter to use for traction
• Cell phone adapter
In the last five years, Wisconsin has averaged 18,000 motor vehicle crashes during the winter months when roads are covered with ice, snow or slush. On average, 45 people are killed and more than 4700 injured in Wisconsin each winter season inaccidents when roads are covered in ice, snow and slush.
Many crashes are caused by “driving too fast for current conditions.” Also, when the first blast of winter arrives, motorists often need to “re-learn” how to drive in slippery conditions.
