With the first significant winter weather event forecasted this week, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), is providing the below winter driving advice for motorists to consider if traveling is necessary.
Winter Driving Advice
While PennDOT recommends not traveling during winter storms, we provide the following advice to those who need to drive in winter weather.
- Carry a winter emergency travel kit. (including layers of clothing and blankets)
- Listen to weather and travel advisories, but if you do not have to travel in bad weather don’t.
- Keep your gas tank at least half full.
- Slow down and increase following distance.
- Avoid sudden stops and starts.
- Beware of roads that may look wet, but are actually frozen, often referred to as ‘black ice.’
- Use extra caution on bridges and ramps, where ice can often form without warning.
- Carry a cellphone.
- Do not use cruise control while driving on snow-covered roads.
- State law requires you to turn on your headlights when your wipers are on.
- Use your low beams in particularly bad weather, especially in cases of heavy or blowing snow.
- Remove ice and snow from windows, mirrors, and all vehicle lights before you drive and as often as needed.
- Remove snow and ice from the hood and roof of your vehicle. State law states that if snow or ice from your vehicle strikes a vehicle or a person and causes death or injury, you can be ticketed.
- Do not park or abandon your vehicle on snow emergency routes.
- Do not pass or get between trucks plowing in a plow line (several trucks plowing side by side).
- Make sure someone else knows where you are going and when you expect to arrive in case you run into an emergency and need help, someone will know where to look for you.
- If you do become stranded, it’s better to stay with your vehicle until help arrives. Run the engine every hour or so, but make sure the tailpipe is clear and keep the downwind window cracked open.
- Do not drink and drive, and always wear your seat belt.
Snow squalls
Snow squalls are common and could create white out conditions which could virtually eliminate a driver’s visibility. They can also create treacherous travel conditions for drivers where roadways quickly become snow covered and slick.
Motorists always should be alert during the winter season for sudden squalls which can strike with little or no warning.
If motorists do encounter snow squalls while traveling, PennDOT offers this advice:
- Slow down gradually and drive at a speed that suits conditions.
- Turn your headlights on.
- Stay in your lane.
- Increase your following distance.
- Stay alert, keep looking as far ahead as possible and be patient.
- Reduce in-car distractions since your full attention is required.
- Use defroster and wipers.
- Turn four-way flashers on.
- Keep windows and mirrors free of snow and ice.
- During whiteouts, come to a complete stop only when you can safely get as far off the road as possible or when there is a safe area to do so.
- Do not stop in the flow of traffic since this could cause a chain-reaction collision.
- Do not pass a vehicle moving slowly or speed up to get away from a vehicle that is following too closely.
- Always buckle up and never drink and drive.
PennDOT District 3 has no concerns with staffing going into the 2021-2022 winter season. While snow is falling, PennDOT will have crews treating roadways around the clock, but the department aims to keep the roads passable rather than completely free of ice and snow. PennDOT will continue to treat roadways through the storm until precipitation stops and roads are clear.
While PennDOT recommends not traveling during winter storms, motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts.
PennDOT reminds motorists to pack an emergency kit for their vehicles. A basic kit should include phone chargers, non-perishable food, water, blanket, small shovel and warm clothes. When preparing an emergency kit, motorists should take into account special needs of passengers such as baby food, pet supplies or medications and pack accordingly.
PennDOT also reminds citizens that downloadable materials, including home and car emergency kit checklists and emergency plan templates, are available at http://www.Ready.PA.gov. Citizens can also find information about getting involved in local emergency response efforts and other volunteer opportunities through the ReadyPA website.
For more winter driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit http://www.penndot.gov/winter
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Tioga, Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Montour and Columbia counties at www.penndot.gov/District3.
Follow the conversation by using #PAWinter on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews, visit the department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation or find the department on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pennsylvaniadot/.
PennDOT’s media center offers resources for organizations, community groups, or others who share safety information with their stakeholders. Social-media-sized graphics highlighting winter safety are among the available options.
