10/16/2026
We have had reports that the road conditions in the Valley are a little slick, here are just some friendly reminders when traveling on icy roads. Stay Safe!
To drive safely on icy roads, the absolute most important rule is to significantly reduce your speed and avoid any sudden inputs like slamming on the brakes, jerking the steering wheel, or accelerating quickly. Your tires need rolling inertia to maintain grip, and smooth, gradual movements are vital to keeping control.
1. Adjust Your Driving Mechanics
• Increase your following distance: Extend your normal following distance to at least 8 to 10 seconds (or up to 10 times your normal stopping distance) to give yourself plenty of room to react.
• Accelerate and decelerate slowly: Apply gentle pressure to the gas and brakes. If you drive a manual vehicle, try pulling away in second gear to prevent your wheels from spinning.
• Brake wisely: If your vehicle has an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), apply firm, steady pressure if you need to stop—do not pump them. If your vehicle does not have ABS, pump the brakes gently to prevent the wheels from locking up.
• Never use cruise control: Using cruise control on icy roads can cause your vehicle to accelerate unexpectedly or lose traction, reducing your reaction time.
2. Know How to Recover from a Skid
If your vehicle begins to slide, the golden rule from winter driving experts is to take your feet off the pedals and steer where you want to go:
• Do not panic brake: Slamming on the brakes or accelerating will make the skid worse.
• Rear-wheel skid (Fishtailing): Gently turn the steering wheel in the same direction that the rear of the vehicle is sliding. Avoid overcorrecting, which can cause the car to spin in the opposite direction.
• Front-wheel skid: If the front wheels lose traction and the car won't turn, ease off the gas, shift the car into neutral, and wait for the tires to regain grip before trying to steer again.
• Look where you want to go: Look at your intended path down the road, not at the obstacle or guardrail you are trying to avoid.
3. Identify and Anticipate Road Hazards
• Watch for black ice: Treat any road that looks wet but doesn't create spray from other tires as highly dangerous black ice.
• Exercise extreme caution on bridges and overpasses: Elevated structures freeze much faster than normal roadways because cold air surrounds them from both above and below.
• Do not rely entirely on AWD/4WD: While All-Wheel Drive and Four-Wheel Drive help your vehicle get moving in snow, they do not help you stop any faster on ice.
