Safety tips for winter driving in Interior Alaska

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - With all the new snow and warmer temperatures, law enforcement is asking the public to be prepared for winter driving conditions.

If you are not prepared . . . now is the time. There are still a few more months of winter left with snowy and icy conditions. Here are a few safety tips for winter driving in Interior Alaska.

Having a winter safety bag in your vehicle that includes warm weather gear, emergency flares, tow straps and a shovel is highly advised.

Give plenty of space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you while driving on the roadways and while stopping at traffic lights and intersections. If someone were to rear end you, you will need that extra space so you don’t hit the vehicle ahead of you and start a chain reaction. Applying brakes sooner than normal helps.

Keep headlights on at all times during the day, and be aware of any accidents, stalled vehicles, emergency vehicles, or snow removal equipment on the roadways.

Also with the increasing day light in the early evening people tend to drive a little faster. Fluctuating temperatures cause roadways to be extra slippery. If the roads are slippery or visibility is poor slow down and drive accordingly.

Eric Spitzer with the Alaska State Troopers says, “in the event that you see fire trucks or ambulance coming, for whatever reason, people don’t forget you are supposed to yield to those vehicles. So in the safest way possible, you know, indicate your turn, pull off to the side of the road, and let those emergency vehicles pass by as safely as possible.”

Captain Spitzer explains that if you see someone in the ditch and want to check on them, make sure it is safe to pull over first.

In an emergency call 911.