Over a Half Million Crashes Occur in Winter Weather, Says AAA

Saturday, January 19, 2019

GoLocalWorcester News Team

More than a half million crashes and over 2,000 road deaths occur during winter weather, according to a new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

“Winter weather is forecast for this weekend, and there are a disproportionate number of crashes this time of year involving bad weather and winter storms. Snow and sleet can cause significant safety problems by reducing visibility and making it difficult to safely maneuver or stop, but by being vigilant behind the wheel, motorists can help to reduce the number of crashes and fatalities,” said Mary Maguire, Director of Public and Legislative Affairs at AAA Northeast.

According to the report, about 46% of all crashes involving bad weather take place in the winter.

The Report

A AAA Foundation research report analyzed bad weather and crashes over a five-year period.

The study found that the highest proportion of crashes involving bad weather happens overnight from 6:00 PM until 5:59 AM, when visibility is limited and roads are most likely to freeze.

Previous AAA Foundation research also found that the rates of fatal crashes are higher during the first snowfall of the year than on subsequent days with snow.

AAA Offers the Following Tips:

Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive well in bad weather, it’s better to avoid taking unnecessary risks by venturing out.
Drive slowly. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.
Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: it takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
Increase your following distance. Allow five to six seconds of following distance between your vehicle and any vehicle in front of you. This space allows you time to stop safely if the other driver brakes suddenly.
Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal. Don’t pump the brakes.
Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.
Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.

AAA recommends always keeping the following items in your “emergency kit” for winter driving:

Mobile phone and car charger
First-aid kit
Blankets
Drinking water/snacks for everyone in the car including pets
Flashlight with extra batteries
Rags, paper towels or pre-moistened wipes
Basic toolkit including duct tape and warning devices such as flares or reflectors
Ice scraper/snow brush
Jumper cables/jump pack
Traction aid such as sand, salt or non-clumping cat litter
Tarp, raincoat and gloves
Shovel

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Over a Half Million Crashes Occur in Winter Weather, Says AAA

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