By Emma Barrett
emma@newsroom.byu.edu
Driving in the wintertime can be hazardous for those who do not take Mother Nature's power seriously.
After a snowstorm, Utah freeways are crowded with minor accidents. Other cars may run off the road or run into the rear of other cars when roads are icy, said Sgt. Al Christianson of the Utah Highway Patrol.
Although no perfectly safe method exists for driving in icy conditions, slowing down can prevent unwanted accidents, he said.
Slowing down can also help drivers avoid tickets. A traffic officer can ticket a driver who is driving the posted speed limits if road conditions are bad, Christianson said.
'Sixty-five miles per hour is under ideal conditions,' he said. 'A safe speed may be as low as 20 mph.'
The law requires people to drive at a safe speed for the given conditions, and the fastest safe speed for an icy road might be below the posted speed limit, Christianson said.
He said divers have passed him on icy roads when he was driving as fast she could safely drive under the conditions.
People should stay home when the snow flies unless they have to go somewhere. Those who are forced to drive on icy roads should slow down and exercise caution, Christianson said.
If the car begins to slide on icy roads, the driver should take his or her foot off the gas and steer in the direction he or she wants the car to go. Drivers should not hit the brakes if they feel their cars start to slide, he said.
'Drive to the conditions; look ahead; expect the unexpected, and leave yourself an avenue of escape,' Christianson said.
More hazardous driving conditions during winter months do not always translate into more accidents, said Eric Cheng, safety studies engineer for the Utah Department of Transportation.
Although driving conditions are more dangerous during the winter than they are during the summer, people usually travel less in the wintertime, Cheng said.
There were less accidents in Provo during the winter months of 1999 than there were during the summer months, according to the Provo Police Department's Web site.
However, statistics from the Utah Department of Transportation for 1997 show that more traffic accidents occurred throughout Utah during the month of December than during any other month.